Green and Gold
by kellyanne
Summary: Death can change someone's life in a blink of an eye. So can love. When Draco and Ginny start getting close, will either of them allow it to become more then a one-night-stand?
1. A Little Green, A Little Gold

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 1

          She smiled up at the train after passing through the barrier. The train, shiny and stunning, looked like heaven. She had been wishing for this day ever since school let out. Life at the Burrow was too much and she looked forward to returning to Hogwarts.

          After a birthday from hell and an even worse summer, Ginny was glad to be getting back to a place where explosions and ghosts were everyday sights.

          At that moment, Platform nine and three-quarters had never looked so welcoming. 

          She loved leaving the muggle world more then anything else. The freedom to announce that you are a witch without having some stupid muggle cast strange looks your way was so…satisfying. 

          "Ginny?"

          She spun around just as her brother Ron passed onto the platform.

          "What took you so long?" She asked, watching Ron's ears burn red.

          "I…um…er…"

          "You were flirting with a muggle again, weren't you??" She asked, her eyes wide with laughter.

          "You're…you're crazy. I mean…bloody hell, muggles?? Ha!" Ro started pushing his trolley and she laughed. He _had_ been flirting with a muggle.

          She started walking when someone burst through the barrier at full speed, knocking her right off her feet.

          "Watch it, you git!!" She screamed before she saw who had hit into her.

          "Sorry, Ginny," Harry said sheepishly, helping her to her feet, "Thought I'd miss the train if I didn't hurry."

          She nodded, looking into Harry's green eyes.

          They didn't seem quite as brilliant as they had at the end of her fourth year.

          "It's alright," She mumbled. Harry was already walking to the train.

          Bloody git!

          Her thoughts startled her. That's what she called Ron.

          The realization hit her like a sledgehammer.

          She didn't like Harry!!

          He was no longer 'the Magnificent Harry Potter' or 'Harry Potter, the boy who lived'…he was just Harry. Just Harry. 

          He was just Harry like Ron was _just_ Ron. 

          A chuckle rose in her throat. After four years…four lonely, painful years, she was over Harry.

          She smiled.

          This was a great way to begin her fifth year at Hogwarts. 

          He had been staring out the train window, watching the blur of trees and water, when he heard the soft tap on the compartment door.

          He turned his head quickly.

          "Mal…um…Draco, do you mind if I sit here?"

          He couldn't take his eyes off her. Her chocolate eyes were filled with worry. Her deep red hair was cascading down her back in an enticing way.

          She was beautiful. 

          Wait…what was he talking about?

          She was a _Weasley_!! 

          His voice failed him and he simply nodded. She sat opposite him, resting her head against the window.

          She looked so damn beautiful.

          What was he saying?? She's a _Weasley_…he's a _Malfoy_!!

          Bitterly, he asked, "Why aren't you sitting with the Dream Team, Weasley?"

          Ginny's eyes flashed open, shining with a mix of hatred and sadness.

          "They didn't save a seat for me," She whispered softly, pressing her eyes closed again. He saw a tear roll down her cheek.

          That wasn't the answer he had expected. If she had said something like, 'I couldn't find them,' or 'Why do you care?" then he could have made fun of her. But…she was crying.

          He could have suppressed these strange emotions towards a Weasley with angry words, like his father would…

          His father…why would he want to be like his father?

          Lucious Malfoy was a cold, hated man who hit his wife and tried to make his son follow in his dark footsteps. 

          He didn't want to be anything like his father. He wanted to be…like himself…for the first time in his life.

          That's why he moved his seat to sit next to a weeping Ginny. That's why he put his arm around her small shoulder and let her cry into his robes.

          Her sobs, muffled by the black robe he wore, made him feel his heart skip a beat. _How could they have hurt her like this?? _This girl, who was always kind and considerate and beautiful, had been mistreated and it bothered him. It bothered him down to his soul… a soul she probably didn't believe he had. He laughed bitterly and she tipped her head up to meet his gaze.

          Her wet, brown eyes looked into his and he could feel her pain, her hurt, and her sorrow. 

          He didn't know why, but his lips were suddenly pressed gently to her forehead. He closed his eyes and took in the sweet smell of vanilla.

          Ginny smiled but her lips fell quickly to a frown. She gasped.

          Turning his head, he saw an angry Ron standing in the doorway, his face as red as his hair and his eyes full of hatred. 

          "Ronald Weasley!!!!! What are you doing???" She screamed as her brother dragged her along the train.

          Her brother's grip on her arm only tightened. 

          "Stop it! You're hurting me!"

          "I...Can't…Believe…You…Kissed…A Malfoy!!" Ron whispered harshly through his teeth.

          She made a fist with her free hand, her blood boiling.

          "_He_ kissed me on the forehead, Ron!!"

          Ron stopped in front of a compartment and he slammed the door open. She jumped, as did Harry and Hermione. 

          "What's going on??" Hermione choked out, her face pale. She could see how angry Ron was and that was enough to frighten anyone.

          "SHE KISSED HIM!!!"

          "What?" Harry stuttered. He was even paler then Hermione, his lightning scar sticking out even more against the whiteness of his forehead. 

          Why did _he_ care? She wondered.

          "Who? Ginny, what happened?" At least Hermione was being rational.

          "Nobody! I didn't kiss anyone!" She screamed, trying to push her way past Ron. He wasn't scrawny anymore, so it was damn near impossible. 

          "I was trying to find her and I caught her kissing that bloody git!!"

          "WHO??" Harry and Hermione screamed in unison. 

_Had Harry's voice always been so annoying? _

          "Draco! I kissed DRACO!!!!" She screamed before pushing hard against Ron and falling into the hallway.

          She ran until she found a nearly empty compartment of first-years.

          Had she said this year was starting great?

          Scratch that! This year was starting like HELL! 


	2. Owls and Bathroom Stalls

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 2

          Why had he done it? Why had he kissed her?

          "I was just being nice," He muttered to himself. _Nice_? Malfoy's weren't supposed to be nice.

          Maybe he had been born to the wrong family. This brought a smile to his face. Maybe he wasn't even supposed to be born. Wouldn't that have made the world a bit easier, at least the world at Hogwarts? 

          He sighed and sat up in bed. The castle was so gloomy, the faint glow of the moon making shapes dance on its cold, stonewalls.

          He closed his eyes and her face, smiling and glowing, flashed in front of him.

          What had happened to her over the summer? Why was she suddenly so…cold towards the Dream Team? Not that he cared. _She was a Weasley._ He didn't care what happened in a Weasley's life.

          Why did he have to keep telling himself that? Why did he have to continue reminding himself that she was a Weasley?

          Was it possible that he might care for her? Have feelings for her despite the fact that they came from two totally different wizarding backgrounds?? 

          He nodded, his eyes flashing open at the quiet screech of an approaching owl. 

          He saw an owl flying towards the window and he jumped out of bed, shivering. Why had he worn _only_ boxers to bed? He didn't understand how male muggles managed. 

          He silently pushed open the glass and an owl flew in, nipping his arm in aggravation. He sucked in breath, a bit of blood forming on his arm, and snatched the letter from the owl's mouth. With a satisfied hoot, the owl flew back out the window. 

          He stepped into the moonlight and ripped open the seal on the letter. 

          Vanilla…the paper smelled of vanilla. 

          He knew it was from her before he even glanced down at the words. The scent was so strong, so intoxicating; that he knew it could only be from one person.

_          Draco, I need to talk to you. Please meet me in the Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Just come as soon as you get this._

_          G.W. _

          The floor of the bathroom was cold and clammy, making her legs feel as though they were covered in slime. She shivered, hoping that he had gotten her letter. 

          She still didn't understand why she wanted _him_ to come. He could have asked anyone…but she asked him.

          Dammit, why had she sent that bloody letter??

          Before her answer could even begin to form, she heard the bathroom door creak open.

          Moaning Myrtle's sobs subsided and her high, squeaky voice sounded through the bathroom, "Who's there?"

          "Um…is…there someone…alive in here?"

          She giggled when Myrtle began to wail. Draco obviously didn't know how sensitive Myrtle was about being dead.

          "Um…Ginny?" He whispered, his footsteps growing closer.

          She stood and pushed open the door, tripping over her feet and falling into Draco's arms. Draco chuckled and stood her up.

          "Sorry," She breathed, her gaze locked on the cool, gray pools that were Draco's eyes.

          "It's alright," He said softly, which surprised her. He wasn't the soft-spoken type…was he? She didn't really know him that well. 

          "You…you wanted me to meet you here?" Draco stuttered. Bloody hell, he had stuttered. Malfoy's don't stutter. It wasn't in their nature. 

          "Yeah, I wanted to ask you…um…why you were so…nice on the train." He looked surprised by the question.

          "I dunno…you were crying…blimey, Ginny, you were crying over those bloody gits. What did you expect me to do?" There was raw emotion in his voice and that surprised her. What had happened to Draco over the summer holiday?

          "I don't know what to expect. You seem to be surprising me more and more," She whispered, meeting his gaze. It wasn't like staring into a frozen pond anymore. His eyes were warm and gray and she noticed that they were a bit blue. 

          "Maybe what you've grown to expect wasn't the real me," Draco said in reply, putting his hand on her shoulder.

          She jerked away, the pain in her shoulder unbelievable. She sucked in a harsh breath of air to keep from crying.

          "Ginny, what's the matter?" 

          She turned to look at him, bringing her hand away from the searing pain shooting up her arm. 

          "Nothing," She said, her teeth gritted against the pain. By the look in Draco's eyes, he didn't believe a word of what she was saying.

          She waited for him to say something, but he didn't. He just stared at her shoulder as though he could see through her tank top. 

          "Who did it?" Draco finally asked. His voice was full of concern and she was taken aback. 

          "Who did what?" She replied, though she knew he was talking about the scar that she bore over her collarbone. But _how_ did he know about that?? Nobody had seen the scar before, except her brothers and they wouldn't have told Draco. 

          "That scar," was all that Draco said. She took a deep breath before pulling the corner of her shirt down far enough to reveal the scar. 

          "What happened, Ginny?" _Why did he have to sound like he cared??_ She couldn't handle him being nice to her, especially when it made her heart skip a beat.

          "I…um…" She was still trying to make her heart start beating again. There was no way she could find words at that moment. 

          "I won't tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about," His voice sounded so damn sincere. 

          "I got caught at the wrong end of a wand," She said quietly, almost chuckling. Laughing would hold back to tears. 

          Draco's brow furrowed, his eyes growing cloudy, as though a storm were rolling in. 

          "What happened," He asked again. His voice was so warm, so soothing…and yet…he sounded as though he were hiding something. It was like he knew something that he wasn't sharing. 

          "My mum and I were in Diagon Alley, shopping for new robes and we turned up a side alley. Someone pulled a wand and gave me this," She put a finger above the scar, not touching it. She knew the pain that came whenever anything touched it, "Then they petrified my mum. She…she's never really been the same."

          Draco's eyes hardened, "Who was it?"

          She closed her eyes, the entire scene playing in her head, "I don't know. I just saw a flash of silver hair before the pain became too intense. I just couldn't take it and I passed out."

          She closed her eyes again and felt Draco take his hand from hers. She hadn't even realized it was there. Then he stood and walked to the door.

          "I…I gotta go," He said quietly, his eyes downcast.     


	3. His Ginny

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 3

          On the walk back to his dorm his mind seemed to be spinning. 

She had the same scar that he bore over his heart. It was shaped like a skull, though it seemed like an ordinary scar. 

_It was the mark of the Dark Lord._

He shuddered, remembering when his father had given it to him. He had refused to accept Voldemort, so his father had cursed him, giving him the mark of the Dark Lord. He would have preferred being killed.

Who had done it to Ginny…and why??

He remembered her saying she had seen a flash of silver hair…silver hair that could have easily belonged to his father.

Dammit, what was his ruddy father up to? If he were to hurt one hair on his Ginny's head…bloody hell! He had just called her _his_ Ginny.

He sighed, realizing that she had him whipped. It was only their first day back, though! How could she have changed so drastically that it would cause him to fall head over bloody heels????

_She hadn't changed. He_ had _just_ realized how bloody wonderful she was. He had been one hell of a git, not noticing what was right in front of him. 

Now what was he going to do? It was too dangerous to be close to her…who knows what could happen? His father might be planning something. But then again, it was too dangerous to _not_ be close to her.

Oh, he was a bloody, bloody git!

He finally made it to the entrance to the Slytherin, finally feeling the chill in the air. He had felt so warm next to Ginny that the fact that he was only wearing boxers and a t-shirt didn't bother him…until now. 

He sat by the fire for a while, trying to get warm.

All he felt was cold…and he knew why.

_Ginny._

A/N- Muah ha! You're gonna start getting answers and there WILL be a plot, lol. I'm not just gonna ramble for the next twenty chapters or so. Lalalalala 

Love from Kellyanne 


	4. Nightmares and Falling into the Arms of ...

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 4

          "Hey, mum, would it be alright if I got a new robe for my birthday??" Ginny asked as she and Mrs. Weasley turned up a side alley. Diagon Alley was unbelievably crowded this afternoon, so they decided to use a short cut to the Leaky Cauldron. 

          "I don't see why not. With your father's new promotion, we have money for necessities and then some to spare," Mrs. Weasley chuckled, her pockets jingling with gold and silver. 

          They both jumped when they heard a crash.

          Ginny looked around and saw that a garbage bin had been overturned. She laughed. They were afraid of garbage.

          The two started walking again and Ginny let her thoughts wander to Harry. She felt so bad for him. He had to feel horrible about Cedric Diggory, especially since he hadn't been able to do anything.

          Ginny was so deep in thought that she didn't noticed the shadow that had formed on the wall. She only turned around when she felt the warmth of a glowing wand. 

          Suddenly it was like she was watching from beside her attacker. The hair of the man was a silvery blonde and the eyes were like ice, hard and frozen to keep all emotions locked forever inside.

          _Lucious Malfoy. _

          "Cruciatus," Malfoy whispered. She saw herself wince in pain, her shoulder thrust backwards as though a hand had pushed it. 

          The same cold voice of Malfoy muttered something else.

She recognized it as a spell to petrify someone.

 Her mum went as stiff as a board and fell hard to the ground. 

Then Malfoy turned to her, the her that wasn't on the alley floor, and his cold eyes bore into her with a power that made her believe he could see her thoughts.

"He's coming for you." 

Ginny sat up in bed, her eyes narrowing at the unwanted burst of sunlight.

Blimey, what a nightmare. But…it hadn't really been a nightmare…had it? It was what happened in the alley; only she saw it through the eyes of someone else. And she had seen Lucious Malfoy, but she hadn't really seen anyone that day in the alley.

Her head was pounding but she dragged herself out of bed. She looked grimly around the room, sadly noting that only one of the beds, besides hers, was filled. She knew it would be that way, but it still made her frown.

After Cedric Diggory was killed, his parents took his little sister out of Hogwarts. She had slept across from Ginny. Then Jasmine Patters transferred to a different wizarding school farther north, her parents fearing that Hogwarts was unsafe. Now the only other person in her room was Victoria Bramble and she was always in the library.

Sighing, Ginny walked out of the sleeping chamber and trudged down the stairs. She pushed through the portrait of the fat lady only to fall into the arms of everyone's favorite blonde.

He had woken up early, wanting to get to the Great Hall for breakfast before anyone else. Actually, he hadn't slept at all that night. His mind was too clouded. 

He wanted to know why his father had attacked Ginny and her mother. It was nearly three in the morning when Draco actually sent a letter to his father, asking about what had happened. He lied in the letter, saying he had come across an old newspaper article in the Daily Prophet that told about the attack.

He had also been kept awake by thoughts of a certain redhead who he found beautiful and graceful, charming and illustrious and so damn marvelous. It wasn't just her face that kept his eyes from closing. It was also the fact that having feelings for her could be dangerous. His feelings could lead her into whatever trap his father might be setting. 

Draco knew his father was setting up a trap for Ginny. He felt it in his bones, just like he did when his father was helping with the planning of what would lead to the death of Cedric Diggory. 

Everyone thought that he had wanted an innocent guy to get killed. They all believed that he had _helped_ his father bring the Dark Lord back. Some even believed that he, too, was part of the Dark Lord's inner circle.

That's another reason why it was too dangerous to be anywhere near Ginny. His reputation could ruin her…possible her entire family, even though most of it was false.

His eyes fell to the ground. Nobody would believe that he had intentions that weren't meant to harm any member of the Weasley clan.

He decided to stay as far away from Ginny as possible at that moment. 

With eyes locked on the stone floor, he felt his body collide with something soft, something warm.

He looked up, his arm shooting out at the sight of a small body falling. His arm caught the girl around the waist and pulled her up against his chest.

Red hair blew into his face and his eyes were met with pools of chocolate. _Ginny_.

His first instinct was to smile, ask if she was all right after what had happened the night before.

But then he remembered what could happen if he was near her. How he could possibly be putting her life on the line…that's when his face grew hard, his eyes glazing over with a façade of false malice.

"Watch where you're going Weasley," He said, glaring.

The smile that had been forming on Ginny's lips was quickly turning into a frown. Then she met his glare with one of her own.

"Why don't _you_ watch where _you're_ going, ferret-boy??" She spat, unleashing the words from her mouth as if they were poison. 

He raised his eyebrows as she pushed away from him and grabbed her wand, which had fallen from her pocket.

          His lips threatened to form a smile, a true, heartfelt smile, so he did what he usually did to force smiles away: he insulted.

          "Where's Potter, Weasel?" He asked, sneering. God, he hated doing this, but it was the only way to keep her away from him, away from danger. 

          The look that crossed her face couldn't even be named. Her eyes shrank to narrow slits and her lips pushed into a straight line that rivaled the same stern look of Professor McGonagall. Her hand whipped out and he felt her wand jabbing painfully into his chest.

          "If you _ever_ ask me about that git _ever_ again, I swear you'll be wishing you had never crawled out of your family's sick, twisted gene pool!!" She whispered harshly through gritted teeth. 

          Withdrawing her wand, she spun on her heel and ran down the corridor towards the Great Hall.

          He watched her round the corner before he rubbed his sore ribs.

          Damn, she was feisty…and he liked it. It was going to be damn near impossible to stay away from her. But in staying away, he knew he'd fall…fall for a Weasley.

A/N- I got a pot full of plot on the stove…its almost done. A bit of it spilled into this chapter. Lol, anyway I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Review or I won't write, lol. Actually, I will write, but I'll keep it to myself and get sad L     


	5. Why Had He Been So Cold?

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 5

          As she sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, her face finally fell. Her cheeks ached from frowning and her eyes burned with tears.

          Why had he been so _cold_? Just yesterday he had comforted her, kissing her forehead and making her feel safe, warm. Last night he listened to her mindless ramblings, taking her hand in his. 

          And then this morning…just moments ago, he had acted like she was scum. He had treated her like he treated Ron…and it hurt. God, it hurt.

          Glancing up from her bacon and toast, she saw Hermione, Ron and Harry walk in. They all wore smiles that rivaled the brightness of the sunlight coming in through the windows.

          She dropped her eyes back to her breakfast as the Dream Team took their seats around her. 

          "Morning, Gin," Harry said. She looked up and saw him smile. 

          "Morning," She muttered in response, returning her attention to her plate. The food looked disgusting and she pushed it away. 

          "Gin, why weren't you in bed last night?" Hermione asked. Hermione's question almost made her choke.

          "I…was in the library," She said, her voice high and squeaky. 

          "No, we were in the library and we didn't see you," Ron said. Dammit, his ears were getting red. He was angry.

          "The library is…really big. You probably just missed me."

          "Ginny…"

          "What Ron?" She said angrily. A couple of Hufflepuffs turned to look at her, their faces full of curiosity.

          "Did you meet Malfoy?" 

          The words hung in the air, settling into Ginny's head like water freezing in the winter.

          Her brother's words had hurt her. Not because he had accused her of seeing Draco, but because he had _mentioned_ Draco. 

          She stood up and ran as quickly as she could out of the Great Hall. She heard footsteps behind her and assumed it was Harry or Ron. 

          "Get the hell away from me, you bloody git!" She screamed without turning around.

          "Hello to you too, Weasley."

          He had been watching her from his table when she stood up and ran out of the Great Hall. She looked like she was on the verge of tears. 

          Curious, he followed her.

          For a moment-for one long, painfully agonizing moment- he considered stopping her and doing something, anything, to make her fall for him. He wanted her so badly…her scent, her hair…everything about her was so perfect to him.

          But then he was snapped back to reality when she screamed, "Get the hell away from me, you bloody git!" down the hallway. 

          "Hello to you too, Weasley," He replied coolly, knowing the thoughts he had recently had were stupid, illogical…too good to be real.

          She spun around at the sound of his voice, her brown eyes meeting his with a glare of fire and ice. 

          "Malfoy," She hissed. He smirked and took a step closer. In return, she took a step back. 

          "Well, aren't we a little ray of sunshine this morning?" He said bitterly when Ginny's face grew more full of hatred. God, he wished he could make her smile, even if it was only for a minute.

          "Go to hell."

          He looked around, "I thought I was there," He said sarcastically. 

          Her lips didn't even attempt to curl up into a smile. Granted, the humor was dry, but…

          Oh dammit…why was he even trying??

          "Get a life Malfoy," She said through clenched teeth before storming down the hall.

          Her hatred only made him want her more. But not as a one-night-stand…he wanted her for always.

          Maybe even forever.    

A/N- This chapter was dedicated to Crystal, my asylum buddy. Thanks for the very…interesting emails J 


	6. Partners in Potions and another Nightmar...

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 6

          Hours, days, weeks…they all seemed to blend into each other. Ginny couldn't believe it was already Halloween. Well…not quite Halloween, but a day shy was practically the same thing. 

          Her classes were all extremely easy, except Potions. She had been put into a 6th Year class because of her scores on Snape's Finals the year before and now she was glad that she had really pushed herself last year.

          She was partnered with Hermione, who seemed to be the only one that believed that she hated Malfoy.

          Whenever Ron or Harry couldn't find her, they'd assume she was with Malfoy. When they found her, usually the next morning at breakfast, they'd treat her like a criminal being interrogated. 

          She hated her brother and his friend for treating her like a child.

          So, the day before Halloween rolled around and Ginny had never been more excited. Hermione had hinted about something extraordinary happening at the feast the next day and she was ecstatic.

          She had Double Potions today with Slytherin. She dreaded these classes because of Malfoy. She could always feel his cold eyes on the back of her neck and it was distracting.

          Today was not unlike any other class. She and Hermione were trying to conjure up an Invisibility Potion while Malfoy kept his eyes glued to the back of her head.

          For some reason, though, it didn't bother her. Come to think of it…it had _never_ bothered her. 

          She glanced coyly over her shoulder, pretending to be looking for someone and she caught Dra…Malfoy's eyes. He didn't avert his gaze and she didn't either…she didn't want to. There was something in those liquid, silver eyes that she liked, something that she wanted. 

          "Ginny, can you add the next ingredient?" She heard Hermione ask. She turned back around and nodded, adding the stinky, green goo that would make the potion work.

          "Hey, Gin?" Hermione said as the potion began to boil. They had to let it heat up for five minutes, so the girls could relax, at least for a short period of time.

          "Yeah," She replied, trying to hide the fact that her cheeks were burning red. Damn Malfoy for making her blush. 

          "Do you like Draco?"

          The words hit her hard as though Hermione had actually punched her. She was so shocked that she hit right into the cauldron and knocked it to the floor.

          Green gunk splattered everywhere, causing Seamus Finnigan's hand to disappear and Lavender Brown's nose to vanish. 

          Everybody started screaming as though a group of Dementors had been unleashed in the dungeon classroom.

          Snape, of course, took control of the class quickly, but not before Crabbe and Goyle had both fallen into the goo, their faces becoming invisible, which were major improvements for both guys. 

          "Who is responsible for this??" Snape bellowed. Ginny took a deep breath, believing it might be her last, before she quietly said, "I did, sir."

          Snape glanced at her for a moment, looking her over as though trying to see if she was lying. Finally, he turned away and muttered a few spells that made the invisible body parts of several classmates reappear.

          "Miss Weasley, apparently you and Miss Granger are not suitable working together. I believe you would be better off partnered with…" Snape paused and Ginny realized she was holding her breath, "…Mr. Malfoy." 

He had heard what Hermione had asked Ginny, the question causing the entire class to erupt into chaos as Ginny knocked over her cauldron. She either liked him or the idea of doing so repulsed her so much that she nearly had a heart attack.

He preferred to believe the first.

When he heard his name mentioned he looked up, holding back what would have been a very un-Malfoy-ish smile.

"But…Professor…" Snape cut Ginny off with a wave of his hand.

"Mr. Crabbe, please switch seats with Miss. Weasley. You will now be partnered with Miss. Granger," Snape said sharply, Ginny's mouth hanging open.

Crabbe stood up from his seat, kicking his stool painfully into Draco's leg. He winced and rubbed his knee under the table.

Ginny plopped down next to him a moment later and she pushed her stool to the farthest edge of the working space.

"For the love of Merlin, I don't have leprosy, you know," He said.  

"That's questionable," Ginny muttered. 

He had to fight back another smile.

She was in the common room that evening, studying, when she heard her owl pecking at the closed window.

After her father had gotten his promotion, he had bought her an owl, which she desperately needed. She had named it Mauvaise, which was one of her favorite names.

It was pitch black outside. She pushed open the window and saw that Mauvaise had a letter. She had been flying all day, so it made Ginny wonder whom it was from. 

She untied the parchment from the owl's leg and Mauvaise flew back out. The black owl quickly disappeared into the silky night sky.

She watched the bird fly and continued to stare out the window even though she could no longer see it's wings flapping.

Finally, she looked down at the letter.

A chill ran down her spine and she yawned, her eyes falling on the clock above the fireplace.

Blimey, it was after midnight!!

"I'll read it in the morning," She whispered to herself, stifling another yawn.

Tucking the letter into her Potions book, she walked up the stairs, barely making it to her bed before she collapsed into a peaceful sleep.

He opened his eyes, not recognizing his surroundings. Black walls and a blood red canopy bed. A blazing fire in the hearth, clothing thrown across the dark wood floor.

Finally he recognized it as his room in the Malfoy Manor. 

Sitting up his ears tuned into the incessant sound of Lucious and Narcissa screaming at each other once again.

He sighed, wishing they'd shut up for five seconds to think about what their bickering did to him…and to Allison.

A crack of light appeared in the room and he saw the tiny six-year-old frame of his sister creeping through the doorway. 

"Drakie, are you awake?" Allison whispered, her nightgown swishing at her feet as she walked. 

"Yeah, love. How could I sleep anyway??"

Allison appeared from the shadows, standing in front of the fireplace. The light from the flames was licking at her face, casting a beautiful glow against her tiny features. _She_ was the only reason he didn't go insane living in this house.

"You close your eyes, silly," She giggled, jumping onto his bed. He brought the quilt up to cover her and she snuggled against him.

"Drakie, why do mother and father fight? Don't they love us??" Her big blue eyes gazed desperately into his, searching for an answer that he honestly couldn't give her.

He bit his lip, "Of course they love _you_, Allie."

She smiled, obviously not realizing that he hadn't said they loved him as well.

He wasn't going to lie to his sister.

"Drakie…"

He put a finger to her lips to silence her, "Shh…mother and father are coming."

Sure enough, footsteps sounded down the hallway towards his room. He sat up a bit more so he could hear them.

"The boy is sixteen! He should have received the mark five years ago!!" Lucious was yelling. 

"He isn't ready," Came Narcissa's reply.

The he heard the blood-curdling crack of fist connecting with bone. His mother's scream confirmed it.

Lucious had hit her…hard.

The sad thing was Draco knew the next morning; the bruises would be covered with muggle makeup. He pitied his mother, not being brave enough to wear her battle wounds proudly. When Lucious hit him, which was less and less because he had learned to fight back, he would hold his head up high and show the world what his father had done. He was like a soldier coming triumphantly out of war, but his mother was the one who stood at the sidelines of the battle and watched until the guns were turned to her. Even then, she did nothing, excepting the bullet, or the fist, or the wand. 

The sound of another slap snapped him from his reverie.

"I'll decide when he's ready!!" Lucious hollered before Draco's door burst open.

Lucious' eyes widened when he saw Allison lying beside his son. Lucious hadn't wanted a daughter. Hell, he wouldn't have wanted Draco if he hadn't been aware of the fact that he needed a male heir. 

Allison was kept in her room most of the day, restricted to her bedroom so she didn't aggravate Lucious. Him seeing her here was a shock that he clearly hadn't expected.

Lucious recovered quickly, though.

"Get up, Draco. It's about time you received the mark!!"

He stood from his bed, standing before his father. He _looked down_ at his father, "No."

The flames from the fire were reflected in Lucious' eyes. Narcissa gasped from her place on the hallway floor. Her cheeks were red and a bruise was already forming around her eye.

"You _will_ receive the mark _now_, boy!" Lucious bellowed, whipping out his wand.

Allison gasped and, before Draco could react, jumped in between the two men. 

"Leave Drakie alone, father!" She said, trying to push Lucious away from her brother. 

"Get off me, girl!" Lucious said, turning his wand to Allison.

Draco's breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened. Lucious saw the concern in his son's eyes.

"Tell this…this child to get off me or else…you'll both regret it."

Draco didn't need to be told twice. When it came to Allie, he was willing to do whatever his father said if it meant protecting her.

"Allie, get away from Lucious, ok??"

The little girl didn't listen, but began to punch at Lucious' legs, "Get away from him, father!"

"I warned you, boy," Lucious hissed.

Draco's eyes widened and he realized, two seconds too late, what his father was going to do.

"Avada Kedavra!" Lucious bellowed and Allison fell to the floor in a heap of golden blonde hair.

Draco fell to his knees, bending over his sister's body. Her eyes were open, their enchanting glimmer of life and innocence gone. 

She was dead. His father had used the Killing Curse to murder his own daughter, his own flesh and blood. 

"You unbelievable bastard, you killed her," He whispered, tears stinging his eyes. He blinked them away and stood to look at his father.

Before Draco could say anything else, his father turned his wand and said, "Crucio."

He felt the pain above his heart making his entire chest throb. He writhed in pain and collapsed to the cold, wood floor.

Everything went black.

It took him a moment to realize where he was. He half expected to find himself in his room at the manor.

He wasn't there, though. He was back in his cold, dungeon bedroom, the sounds of Crabbe and Goyle snoring almost driving him mad.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, remembering his dream.

It _hadn't_ been a dream, though. He knew that. 

The whole bloody thing had happened. He was just remembering it.

He had watched helplessly as his father murdered his sister in cold blood. He had succumbed to the blinding, white pain that formed around his heart and spread out, making him wish for death. 

But why had his mind decided to recall that hellish night _now_??

He couldn't think of an answer. All he could think about was Allison and how much she would have loved Ginny.

_Dammit, why did you have to go and think about her??_

Another question that would be left unanswered.

A/N- A huge thanks to BeetleBon99. It meant a lot when you said I was brilliant…*tear.* And you also see why Draco doesn't wanna be like his father. I know where I'm going with this fic…HOORAY

Love from Kellyanne


	7. Sharing Dreams, Telling Bitchy Pansy Off...

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 7

          She walked into the Great Hall that morning, her eyelids threatening to close with every step she took. 

She hadn't slept at all the night before. She had stayed awake until almost five in the morning, her mind sensing unease, pain…fear.

When she finally fell asleep she felt like she had walked into someone else's dream.

It seemed like a family gathering, or a meeting, or something. Three people stood in a dark room, the only light produced by the blazing fire. The only girl in the room, obviously five or six, was punching at one of the two men's legs. That man had long, silver blonde hair that was almost white.

The other man said something and his voice seemed familiar, though she was too enthralled with the scene to realize whom it belonged to. 

She realized that the longhaired man had a wand and…oh god, it was pointed at the little girl.

In a blur of movement and a flash of light, the girl was on the floor, clearly dead. 

That was when she saw the younger man's face.

It was Draco.

This made her sit upright in her bed, knowing damn well that she would never get back to sleep. 

Now, as she trudged through the Great Hall towards the Gryffindor table, she regretted falling asleep at all.

The dream had left her scared, her emotions choked back in her throat as though someone she loved had been killed.

When she sat down, she felt a pair of eyes locked on the back of her head. Turning, she met the gaze of Dra…Malfoy.

She almost smiled at the fact that he wasn't sneering, but knew better. Showing weakness would only make it easier for Malfoy to insult her.

She turned back around, waiting for the Dream Team to make their movie-star-like appearances in the Great Hall.

After about ten minutes of waiting, Ginny grew bored. She didn't feel like waiting for them anymore. She had wanted to tell Hermione about the dream, but they were all taking too long.

She stood and walked out of the room, bumping right into Harry. She fell flat on her butt. 

And the first thing that came to her head: bloody git.

"Oh, sorry Gin," Harry said, offering her a hand. She accepted and brushed off the dust on her robes.

"Oy, Gin!" She spun around and saw Ron and Hermione rounding the corner. They were smiling and she saw that they were holding hands.

"Oy," She said in return, actually smiling. It took the two long enough to hook up. Ron had wanted to snog Hermione crazy ever since their second year, but he was too much of a git to ask her out, "I see you two are…um…happy."

Ron and Hermione both smiled, turning to look at each other lovingly.

At least two people in this school had found love, Ginny thought with a sigh. 

After a very quick breakfast Hermione and Ginny walked off to Potions, their only class before the annual Halloween Hogsmeade trip. Ginny, though she was only a fifth year, had been asked to go by Dumbledore, who wanted to reward her for being in almost all advanced classes.

 She was extremely excited; last year Dumbledore had announced that only sixth and seventh years were allowed to go to Hogsmeade. This was due to an incident with a then-fifth year student, Seamus Finnigan. To put it nicely, he had some butterbeer…minus the butter…and he ended up nearly blowing up the Screaming Shack.

"Hermione, why do we have to go to our first classes? It's so pointless," She complained as they entered the dungeon classroom. Hermione stopped to look at her.

"Gin, you, of all people, should value your education. If we are allowed to learn, we shouldn't complain about it." With that, Hermione walked over to her seat next to Crabbe, leaving Ginny to roll her eyes.

"Are you going to walk, Weasel?"

She spun around and groaned at the sight of Pansy Parkinson, her hand on her hip.

"You can get through the door, Parkinson. You're not _that_ big," She retorted, not wanting to allow Parkinson to ruin her good spirits.

Just like Ginny had expected, Pansy's mouth hung wide open, reminding her of a trout.  

After a moment, Pansy regained the tiny sliver of composure that she had, "You're gonna pay for that, Weasel!"

Ginny choked back laughter, as she looked the girl over. Not one ounce of muscle on her body…nothing that Ginny couldn't fight. She _was_ a Weasley, after all. Having six brothers made it quite easy to learn to defend herself. And she had the Weasley temper, though she hid it well.

"Don't waste your brain cells thinking of come-backs for me, Parkinson. You don't have many to begin with." She walked to her seat with a grin, ignoring the look of astonishment on Malfoy's face. 

"Blimey. Didn't think you had the Weasley temper along with the hair," Malfoy said after he got his jaw up from the floor.

"Guess you don't know much about me, do you?" She turned to him and raised an eyebrow, knowing that she was flirting. Who cared anyway? She was allowed to mess around every once in a while, even if it was with the boy who gave meaning to the word 'git.'

"Apparently not," Malfoy said in response, giving her his trademark smirk. Blimey, he had a nice smirk. 

"Who knows? Maybe if you're a very good boy, I'll show you exactly what this Weasley can do."

Now Malfoy looked like a trout.

As the group of Hogwarts students started walking back from Hogsmeade, the wind began to blow and the clouds threatened to open.

Draco was walking at the back of the group, not feeling like dealing with Crabbe or Goyle or…_ugh_…Pansy.

The second they arrived this morning; she was on his arm like a leech, complaining about how Ginny had insulted her. Blimey, it was all he could do not to pull out his wand and make her mute. 

So, now that he could think in peace, his mind drifted to Ginny. He smirked thinking about what she had said in Potions. She had taken him by surprise. 

"Never would have thought a perfect, little Weasley could have the mind of a vixen," He murmured to himself.  

"What are you saying about my family?" 

He spun around, coming face to face with the vixen herself. 

"Where'd you come from?" He asked, glaring at her even though, inside, he was smiling.

"What? Hasn't mommy told his little boy about the birds and the bees?" Ginny said sardonically. Blimey, she was dishing out insults today…he liked it.

"What would you know about sex, Weasley? By the looks of it, you're as virginal as Potter."

Ginny smiled, her brown eyes glittering, "Harry isn't a virgin."

This caught him off guard…_way_ off guard. Was this short, freckle-faced girl implying that she wasn't…that she had had…

"I'm glad to see that you and Potter finally did something more then stare at each other," He said bitterly, quickening his pace so that he was almost walking on top of Goyle.

Ginny, in turn, ran to his side and kept up his pace, "I never said I was the one who Harry lost his virginity to."

Then she ran ahead, "Hey, Hermione. Where've you been??" 

She and Granger both began walking quickly, but Ginny flashed him a look that said, 'I've got friends to run to. More then you can say about yourself.'

He wanted to strangle her or make her unconscious or something…anything to make his blood stop boiling. The only thing he could think to do was walk right up to her and tap her on the shoulder.

When her face was looking into his he took her lips, gently, but forceful enough to tell her he was pissed.

What he didn't expect was her to push him away.

"Petrificus Totalis," She said harshly and he felt his body go stiff.

A/N- Thanks to Jacet Munku-JGSPTV, BeetleBon99, Becca, The Lady Sorcha of Sevenwaters, and, of course, Crystal, Princess of the coolest mental asylum in the world. (Hope your head doesn't blow up again) You guys all rock!!!! 

Hmm…not that long of a chapter, but, hey, it's Christmas. Just in case you readers aren't HUGE Harry Potter losers like me, the spell that Ginny just used…um…six lines above this one, is the 'Full Body Bind' spell. Basically, she just made Draco go out like a light. Heehee, go Ginny. Hope you guys enjoyed.

Love from Kellyanne


	8. Taught to Hate

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 8

          Just like Hermione had promised, the Halloween feast was one that would go down in Hogwarts history. Not only did the hall contain the normal Halloween decorations, like bats and a band of skeletons, but all the House Banners had been enchanted to change. The Gryffindor banner kept changing to the Slytherin banner and the Hufflepuff banner kept taking over Ravenclaw's. None of this would have been exciting, but Professor Dumbledore insisted that everyone sit under their House Banner. 

          That announcement made the feast very, _very_ interesting. 

          Hogwarts students were sent running through the Great Hall, trying to be seated under their banner before it decided to change.

          Everyone was laughing…everyone except Ginny. She had too much on her mind to take pleasure in Dumbledore's festivities. Sure, Hermione kept dragging her from table to table, but she didn't laugh…she didn't even break a smile.

          After a half hour, Dumbledore had had his fun and he used a Deletrius spell to make the banners go back in their rightful places.

          Dumbledore also enchanted their food to run away just as they were about to stab it with their forks. Fred and George had done this once at the Burrow and it made Ginny chuckle.

          Still, her mind was stuck on one thing…well, one person, to be exact.

          "Ginny, are you enjoying the feast?" Ron asked, noticing that his little sister was staring into space like she had been petrified. 

          "Yeah, it's great Ron," She mumbled without actually looking at him. 

          The three seventh years frowned and Hermione sighed, "Gin, what's up?"

          "You know," She said softly, turning to look into Hermione's big, brown eyes. Brandy eyes, Ron had called them.

          "You're still thinking about what happened after Hogsmeade??" Her brandy-eyed friend was truly shocked. Her eyes were the size of teacup saucers.

          "Why did he kiss me??" Ginny asked softly, dropping her gaze back to her plate of feverishly running corn. If she had looked up, she would have seen the looks of anger/astonishment on her brother and Harry's faces.

          "He did it…probably because…he likes you," Hermione stuttered, tipping Ginny's chin up so she met her friend's gaze.

          "Whoa…hold on a second. Who kissed Ginny?" Harry said. She turned to him and saw his green eyes were glowing like a Floo-powdered fireplace.

          Ignoring Harry's question, Ginny turned back to Hermione, her emotions caught in her throat like they had been that morning, "Why would he, though. I'm a…I'm a Weasley."

          Hermione looked at her with sympathy that she wasn't sure she wanted. She needed answers, not pity.

          "Hermione!! WHO KISSED GINNY???" Harry and Ron hollered in unison.

          "Malfoy! Now shut up!!"

          This made the boys go silent.

          "Hermione, he's never cared about me before, and now he just comes up and kisses me. AND he knows who I am. He knows I'm a Weasley. He's been taught to hate me!" Ginny sighed and fought back tears. 

Blimey, she hadn't realized that she had fallen head over heels for…oh God…for Malfoy.

"Ginny, love, he may have been taught to hate you," Hermione paused and leaned across the table so her voice was a whisper only Ginny could hear, "But people can easily forget what they've been taught…if they really love what they've learned to hate." 

She sucked in a breath to keep her heart from stopping. Was it possible that Draco Malfoy might actually have feelings for her that weren't unrelenting hatred??

"What should I do?" Ginny whispered to Hermione, who had leaned back in her seat across the table. Ron and Harry were listening curiously, though neither were commenting on the fact that Malfoy had kissed her.

"Ginny, you put him in the Hospital Wing," Hermione stopped to choke back laughter, "Can it be any easier to question someone who can't get out of a bed?? He'll be helpless and you can find out how _he_ feels." 

Ginny grinned and stood, rushing out of the Great Hall like a girl running from death.

His head hurt. It was throbbing unbearably as though he had been hit over the head with a hammer…several times. He groaned and turned on his side, only to find out that that hurt as well. A flash of white-hot pain shot up the side of his body and he took a sharp breath of air to keep from crying out in agony.

Settling painfully back to his previous position, he opened his eyes. White.

Everything in the room was white. The beds, the walls, the floors…everything! 

He recognized the blindingly colorless room as the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts. But…why was he here??

He thought back, remembering talking to Ginny as they walked to Hogwarts from Hogsmeade. She walked away, falling in pace with Granger. And then…then he went up to her and kissed her.

After that, a wand was whipped out…her wand…and he went stiff.

She had used a Full Body Bind curse to make him unconscious!!! Blimey, she really was a vixen.

He groaned and closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead with his hand, wincing when he forgot that his head was _still_ throbbing.

He tried to fall back asleep, but the noises coming from the Great Hall were keeping him up. He wondered if she was having a good time…not that he wanted her to, or anything.

"Madame Pomfrey, are you here?" She asked, looking around the shockingly white hospital ward. She had forgotten how colorless the room was. The last time she had been here, which was after the whole Chamber of Secrets ordeal in her first year, the room had reminded her of snow. Now it reminded her of a mental institution. 

"Miss Weasley, what brings you here? You aren't hurt, now, are you?" The school nurse appeared from her office, making Ginny jump.

"No. I was…just…wondering if I could see Dra…Malfoy." _Oh, please don't let him be awake, _she silently pleaded. 

"Well, Miss Weasley, you brought him here, so why must you see him again? It was only an hour or so ago that you first arrived with his unconscious body." The older woman's answer made Ginny's jaw tighten. Why was she being so bloody difficult??

"Professor…um…Snape wanted me to tell him the…um…Potions assignment." She lied, realizing that she was jeopardizing Gryffindor points by doing so. If Pomfrey found out that she was lying, points could be deducted from her house. Wouldn't that be a nightmare?  

 "Oh. Well, I suppose that's all right. But please be quick. I need to take care of Mr. Malfoy _and_ get down to Great Hall to help with the Ball."

"Ball?" Ginny asked. 

"Oh, I guess you left before the announcement. Dumbledore planned a surprise ball for this evening. I really must get down there…"

"I could watch Draco, if you want."

Hold on…had Ginny just offered to watch over him? He must be delirious or something, because that wasn't right. She _hated_ him. Everything about her told him that.

So why was she offering to help him??

Probably because she feels guilty for putting you in here. 

"Well, that's very nice of you, dear. I'll be gone for quite a few hours…twenty points will be awarded to Gryffindor for your kind actions."

Or maybe she had offered so her house would get points? 

The curtain that had surrounded his bed was suddenly pulled opened and he snapped his eyes shut, pretending to be asleep.

"Thank you again, Miss Weasley. Now, I really must be going." His eyes still closed, he heard Pomfrey bustle out of the room with a swish of skirts. 

Once the door had closed behind the nurse, Ginny spoke, "I know you're awake, Malfoy. You're a horrible actor, even if you're only trying to fake sleeping."

He smirked, but kept his eyes closed, "Why are you here, Weasel?"

"Well," She started, taking a seat on his bed. The scent of vanilla filled his nostrils and he cursed. She shouldn't be allowed to smell so good, "I put you in the hospital. I only thought it fair to see how you were doing." 

"Ah, so you feel guilty for cursing me," He said, opening his eyes and smirking at the redhead.

"I never said I felt guilty, Malfoy. Don't flatter yourself. I just wanted to make sure you weren't…damaged," Her eyes were dancing with mirth, "God-forbid that one hair on your perfectly greasy head was misplaced during your fall." 

"So, if you aren't feeling guilty, then why are you here?" He repeated, not finding her comments funny. 

She shrugged, "Had nothing better to do."

He studied her face, looking into eyes that refused to meet his own. She blushed.

"You want to ask me something, don't you?" He questioned, the look in her face giving her motives away.

"No…I…"

"You're a horrible actress, Weasel, even if you're only trying to lie," He smirked when she turned to look into his eyes, "Now ask me what you came here to find out." He liked being in control of the conversation.

"I wanted to know if…you…liked me," Her gaze was on her feet, but he saw her cheeks reddening. 

"Why would you bloody _think_ that?" He said, trying to hide how he really felt. Blimey, he hoped she couldn't see through his lies. 

"Well, when _normal_ people kiss each other, they usually like each other to start with!" Ginny's eyes were on him now and he felt like melting into her chocolate gaze, though he knew he couldn't.

Wait…she had said _'they usually like each other to start with.'_ Was she saying that _she_ liked _him_??

"Hey, I was bloody pissed off. You can't expect me to be rational!" He retorted. Another lie. He knew exactly what he was doing when he kissed her.

"Well, I was pretty shirty then, too. I didn't do anything irrational!" She yelled back.

"You turned me into a human log. I was stiff as a board, Weasley! How is that bloody rational???" Don't smile, Draco. Whatever you do, don't smile.

"You deserved it," She said, getting closer to him on the bed, "and you bloody well know that you had it coming!"

"Ginny," He whispered, his eyes focused on her lips, full and pink.

"What?!?"

"What would you do if I kissed you again?" He smiled when her face filled with shock.

"I…I…"

"I hope you don't have your wand," He whispered before he wrapped a hand behind her neck and pulled her closer, claiming her lips like an explorer claiming newly discovered land.

He kissed her softly, knowing that anything else wouldn't be right for her. Her lips were like rose petals, soft and delicate, and a hard kiss would crush them to dust. 

She had just started kissing him back when he pulled away.

"You gonna use your wand on me again?" He asked softly, marveling in the shocked look in her eyes. 

"Maybe," She responded, a smile creeping across her swollen lips. 

He kissed her again, his lips feverishly taking hers. He was warm for the first time in a long time and he didn't want to let that go.

He pulled away when someone in the room cleared their throat. Ginny gasped, hearing it as well.

Granger.

"Gin, your brother is coming, so I think it would be best to…get off of Malfoy," Granger was smiling and he laughed, a real laugh. Blimey, true laughter felt strange.

"Are you joking?" Ginny asked as she straightened her robes and tried to fix her hair. He reached out and grabbed her hand.

"You look beautiful. Leave your hair alone," She looked as shocked as he was for saying it.

"Alright," She mumbled before sitting in the chair next to his bed. Granger sat next to her and he pretended to be asleep.

"WHERE IS SHE???" 

Ah, so Weasley had decided to make his appearance. He didn't have to open his eyes to know Potter was with him.

"Ron, she's right her," Granger said. 

"What did he do to you???" Potter demanded. Blimey, these two blokes were mental. 

"Nothing Harry. Blimey, Madame Pomfrey asked me to watch him while she went to the ball!" 

"Did he try to have sex with you?" Weasley asked. 

He had to choke back laughter so he still appeared asleep. 

"RON!!" Ginny and Granger screamed together.

"What? I wouldn't put it past the bloke," Weasley muttered.

 Now he was fighting back to urge to punch him in the face. He might have a reputation for being an arse, but he had morals. 

"Harry, Ron, come on. Let's get back to the ball," Granger said. He was actually glad she was here, acting as the voice of reason.

"I'm not leaving her with _him_."

"Blimey, he's asleep!" Ginny said, her voice laced with anger. He could just see her cheeks flushing red.

"Harry! Ron! We're going!!" Granger said loudly. A second later, after a few more protests from Potter and Weasley, the door slammed and he opened his eyes.

Ginny looked very, very pissed.

"Well," He started, motioning her to sit next to him again, "that was interesting."

A/N- Well, there's Chapter 8. I hope you guys enjoyed. Tell me you love me by reviewing. Pretty Please??

Love from Kellyanne


	9. Falling in Love With The Enemy

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 9

          She woke up, feeling blind for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She looked down at her watch and was shocked to see it was almost two in the morning. And yet…she heard music still playing in the Great Hall. 

          She yawned, closing her eyes and snuggling back into the chair.

          That's when she remembered what had happened after Hermione had dragged Ron and Harry from the room.

          She and Draco had…oh bloody hell…and then she had fallen asleep.

          Then how was she dressed? And how was she suddenly in the chair beside his bed??

          She opened her eyes and looked around. Her robes didn't even look like they had been moved around. Her hair seemed perfectly in order. She looked down at the bed, seeing Draco asleep…and fully clothed.

          She sighed and closed her eyes again. This was bloody great. She was dreaming that she was a sex-crazed porn star.

          Bloody, bloody hell!

          "It wasn't a dream, if that's what you're wondering. I just couldn't let Pomfrey find us starkers. Wouldn't want you to get expelled." 

          She opened her eyes and saw that Draco was awake. He was smiling. 

          "So…we…" She stuttered, avoiding his eyes. He chuckled.

          "Yeah, we did. You…you aren't regretting it, are you?" He tipped her chin up so she had to look at him. The blue-gray of his eyes was warm and she almost gasped. They were warm with emotion…for her. The emotion wasn't love…it couldn't be love…but they were overflowing with feelings for her and she'd never had that before. Not from anyone.

          "No. I'm…not regretting it, but…I just…have never…you know," Again, her eyes dropped.

          Draco laughed and reached over to squeeze her hand, "You were my first too, love."

          She smiled and brought her eyes back up to meet his, "So your reputation of being Hogwarts' most notorious womanizer is just rumor?"

          He grinned, "Shh…don't tell anyone." 

          She laughed and leaned down to kiss him. Blimey, he smelled good, like cinnamon and hot chocolate.

          "So, does this make us a couple?" Draco asked, pulling her down on top of him. She rolled over so she was beside him instead of _on top_ of him.

          "Is that what you want?" She asked curiously, playing with Draco's unruly hair. It looked good messy.

          "Yes," He whispered softly, kissing her forehead gently, "Now, go back to the ball. I'm pretty sure it's still going on."

          She nodded and squeezed Draco's hand before entering the halls of Hogwarts. She walked with her head high, proud to be able to say that she and Draco were a couple. 

She noticed her brother's eyes locked on her and her smile faltered. He started walking towards her and she looked to her sides, trying to find an escape route. There weren't any. People were packed in the room like sardines and it was a major accomplishment just moving. 

"Hey, Gin," He said when he reached her. She sighed in relief when Hermione and Harry quickly appeared on her brother's side. 

They'd hold him back if things got ugly…if he found out his sister wasn't the angel she appeared to be. 

"So, how's the ball?" She asked nervously, again, trying to find a way out of the room. It was useless unless she suddenly learned to apparate. 

"Fine." Ron replied, "How was the hospital wing?" His eyes narrowed and she felt like a criminal being interrogated by the Minister of Magic. 

Hiding her fear, she shrugged nonchalantly, "It was pretty boring. I fell asleep and just woke up a minute ago." At least it wasn't a lie.

Hermione nodded and tugged on Ron's arm, "Let's dance. I…love this song."

She had to give Hermione credit. She was a true friend for trying to save her from the wrath of Ron. Unfortunately, her brother caught on.

"You had sex with him, didn't you??"

"Why do you always assume Draco and I are attempting to or having sex??" She retorted, feeling her face redden with anger.

"_Draco_? Since when do you call him Draco??"

"Blimey, Ron. It's his name. I don't go around calling you _Weasley_!"

"You did have sex with him!!!! You had sex with the enemy!" Ron's face turned an amazing shade of red that matched the crimson of the Gryffindor House Banner. She had never seen him this angry.

"No, Draco and I didn't have sex! Blimey, you are such a bloody git!" It was _not_ a lie. What they had done wasn't sex. Sex was hard and emotionless and could only be done once. Sex was a one-night stand.

They had made love, something that was nothing like sex.

So she wasn't lying.

"Virginia, I swear, if you're lying…"

"Ronald Weasley!! I'm not a little girl. I'm fifteen years old and if I choose to have a relationship with Draco Malfoy, then I will. You can't control my life anymore then I can control yours!" She ignored the looks of shock that the three sixth years were giving and squeezed through the crowd into the hallway. She pressed her back against the stonewall of the corridor and slid to the floor. 

"Why did I have to be born a Weasley?" She mumbled to herself.

"Ah…lighten up, Ginger. I wouldn't want you any other way."

She looked up and smiled as Draco walked out of the shadows of the hallway.

"I thought Pomfrey had you locked in the Hospital Wing," She said, standing up. Blimey, he was tall, even when she was at her full height.

"I escaped. The place is boring without you." He was grinning mischievously and she laughed.

"They're gonna' send you to Azkaban for escaping, you know," She teased as Draco pulled her to his chest.

"Will you visit?" He asked, brushing a soft kiss to her forehead, her nose, her eyelids.

"I'll break you out," She whispered. She didn't realize it, but at that moment, she fell in love.

Fell in love with the enemy.    

A/N- Ok, if you're reading my review, please ignore any by 'Megan.' That's my sister and she is insane. I'd kill her, but I don't think they'll give me a computer to write on in jail

          Thanks, everyone, for reviewing. Sorry it's short.

Love from Kellyanne


	10. Answers From the Ashes, Fireworks, and P...

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 10

          She kept her eyes locked on the blazing fire as the portrait swung open. She knew Hermione had entered the common room without even turning around. You could always tell when Hermione had entered a room. 

          "Is he worth it?" That's all that her friend said, the four, simple words hanging heavily in the air.

          Ginny knew what the older girl meant. She wanted to know if Draco was worth more then family. She wanted to know if he was worth lying to her closest friends.

          "Yeah," She said softly, looking down at her feet. She felt Hermione's hand on her shoulder and she fought between smiling and frowning.

          "I felt the same way when I first fell in love with your brother."

          Ginny looked up, a smile forming on her lips, "You love Ron?"

          Hermione laughed, "Yeah. Call me nutters, but I'm crazy for the git. I'm just lucky he feels the same way."

          "How do you know that he…you know…loves you?"

          "I see it in his eyes, Gin. That weird glimmer in his eyes that you know wasn't there until you entered the room. The love shining at you that you can tell is a reflection of his heart." Hermione paused, the corners of her lips curling into a smile, "Kinda like what I see when Draco looks at you."

          Ginny gasped, "He doesn't love me!"

          "Alright, Gin. I'm probably wrong, but the way he looks at you in Potions…well…it's how Ron looks at me."

          "You're nutters," Ginny muttered, playing with the sleeve of her robe. 

          "Most likely, but it doesn't mean I'm wrong." With that Hermione walked up the stairs to the 6th year dormitories, leaving Ginny to ponder over what her friend had said.

          Was it possible that Draco Malfoy was in love with her? Could he look at her and see someone who wasn't merely the latest model of a broomstick, there to ride one day and tossed aside when the next broom comes into stock?

          She let her eyes fall back to the fireplace, the once-glowing embers slowly dying in the hearth. She watched as the red coals turned orange, then yellow, before they flickered one last time and turned black. 

She waited for something to happen. She almost expected the flames to burst back to their full height like a Phoenix being reborn, but nothing happened. The room darkened and an eerie silence fell.

It was late; nobody else was awake. She yawned, but stayed seated, her eyes locked on that bloody fireplace.

She wanted answers to come to life like a Phoenix. She needed to know how Draco felt and she needed to know now.

Unfortunately, no answers were born from the ashes. 

Sighing, she settled into the chair and succumbed to sleep, her head full of soft images of a dragon that had managed to ensnare her mind…and her heart. 

Ginny woke up realizing that she wasn't in her bed. She didn't want to get up, but she heard two familiar voices whispering above her.

"You think we should wake her?"

"Could we use fireworks?"

"Nah, that'd wake everyone up…"

"So, in other words, yes."

She opened her eyes, knowing full well whom the voices belonged to. She also knew that, at that moment, they were most likely getting said fireworks.

"Fred, George…what are you doing here?" She exclaimed, sitting up in the chair that, now, seemed very uncomfortable. She placed her hand behind her back and found fireworks. That explained the discomfort.

"Well, Ginny, my dear. We are the new," Fred started.

"Defense Against The Dark Arts teachers! George finished. Both twins flashed her toothy grins.

 "What???" She exclaimed. Whether it was rumor or truth, everyone believed that the DADA job was cursed. Every year they got a new teacher and, by the last day of the school year, he or she was gone. Fred and George had beaten this rumor into her head since they first started at Hogwarts and now they were totally contradicting it by taking the job. Were they insane????

She sighed, knowing bloody well that her brothers were totally nutters.

"Gin, we're hurt. You don't _want_ us as your teachers?" Fred asked, his bottom lips forming a pout.

"Come one, Fred. I can tell when we aren't wanted." The two tall redheads turned to walk away but Ginny reached out to stop them.

"Stop being such gits…"

Fred cut her off, "We're Weasleys!!! What else are we supposed to be but gits??" The twins both grinned at her.

"But I thought you two set up a shop in Hogsmeade,"

"Ginny, Ginny, Ginny, so young,"

"So naïve!!" The twins burst into fits of laughter and Ginny had to stop herself from attacking them. They might be older and taller, but she was still a Weasley and Weasley who could throw a bloody good punch when called upon to do so, at that!

"Ok, fine. You two still have the shop…so why are you teaching here? I thought the Defense Against the Dark Arts job was cursed."

George straightened up his robes, which, she noted, looked very new and very expensive, and his face went serious, a rarity for all Weasleys, "Gin, we only told you that to scare you."

"Just like when we told you that there were grindylows under your bed."

"THERE WERE!!! You flooded my room and set those blasted creatures loose in the water!"

Fred chuckled, "Oh, yeah."

"Anyway, Gin, what did you expect us to do when we heard that the teaching spot was open?"

"We certainly couldn't let that grease ball Snape get the position, now could we??" It scared Ginny how serious Fred and George looked. 

"I…guess not," She said slowly. Finally, the faces of the twins cracked and they started laughing.

"You should have seen Snape's face when he learned that we beat him for the teaching job!!" George said, his words followed by a howl of laughter.

"He looked like You-Know-Who had just walked up to him and asked for directions!!!!"

Ginny sighed, "You guys are nutters."

"Thank you!!!!!!" They replied in unison as she walked up the stairs to her dorm. She quickly changed and went back downstairs where Hermione, Ron and Harry were standing around the two older Weasleys, who were clutching their sides from laughing.

Eager to get to breakfast, Ginny slipped past the group and ran down the hall.

Dumbledore must have gone crazy if he voluntarily let two more Weasleys back into Hogwarts.

"Hey, Ginger," He said as his fiery, little redhead came running down the hall, practically pushing past him. She stopped and looked up to meet his gaze, an elegant, almost arrogant smile crossing her lips.

"I didn't see you," She said softly.

He choked back laughter with a smirk, "Understandable. It's hard to see people from down there."

She glared at him and playfully smacked at his chest, "Don't be an arse, Malfoy."

"Oh, well, that takes all the fun out of my day, Weasley."

They both stopped walking and turned to glare at each other.

Finally, he started laughing, "You look funny when you glare."

"And let me guess, Malfoy. You look dashing??" Ginny grinned and he pulled her to his chest.

"Are you saying I'm not dashing already?" He whispered, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"You're cute, I'll give you that. But dashing…"

He leaned in for the kill, his lips moving softly over hers.

"…Yeah, dashing fits perfectly," Ginny finished breathlessly. He smirked triumphantly and laced his fingers with hers.

"Hey, Ginny, is that you?"

They both spun around. Draco groaned at the sight of Colin Creevey, an annoying fifth year who would lick scum off of Potter's shoes if it meant being close to 'the boy who lived.'

"Hey Colin," Ginny said, a fake smile plastered on her face. He had to choke back laughter.

"Ginny! It is you! I didn't think it was!"

Draco rolled his eyes, _Like there were millions of beautiful redheads running around Hogwarts._

"Did you want something, Colin?" Ginny asked. He could tell she was trying to find an escape route.

"Yeah, I just heard…that there's a new DADA teacher!! The old one went crazy or something."

This was news for Draco as well. He had thought Snape would get the job this time, though he would have hated it if that slimy git had gotten it. Despite what all rumors said, he hated Snape like everyone else.

He turned and saw that Ginny was frowning.

"I know, Colin," She said, her jaw clenched. Blimey, she sounded aggravated. 

"Well…I gotta go. I'm trying to get a picture of Harry and Dumbledore for…my collection."

Ginny sighed in relief when the boy ran down the hall, waving his camera in the air like a possessed Muggle.

Lacing his fingers with hers, they walked to the Great Hall, neither breaking the peaceful silence that had fallen over them. He groaned as his eyes realized just how far the Gryffindor table was from the Slytherin table.

"Well, I gotta go over to hell," He said, motioning towards the table of angry looking Slytherins.

She laughed, "I'll see you later."

He nodded and leaned in to kiss her. Her lips were as soft as ever and he let his kiss linger before pulling away.

"Mmm…you taste like vanilla."

She laughed, "You taste like pond scum."

He pretended to be offended, but who could stay mad at someone like Ginny, even if it was _only_ pretend. 

Ginny, though, seemed to think he was seriously stung by her words, "I was only joking, Draco. You taste like honey and peppermint."

He smiled before kissing her on the forehead, "I gotta go."

She ignored the silence that fell over the Great Hall as she walked down the aisle to the Gryffindor table. She wouldn't let them think she cared what they thought.

Inside, though, she was thinking the exact opposite. She wished they were talking about her instead of staring at her like she had a second head. 

She was going deaf from the silence!!

She was greeted by only one friendly face when she sat down. 

_Hermione_.

The older girl was looking up from a book, which rarely happened when Hermione started reading, and she was smiling sweetly at her.

"I'm glad for you," She said softly, her voice barely rising over a whisper.

"Thank you."

"Hey, Gin," Harry muttered. He had his head on the table and his hair was messier then usual, which was saying a lot.

"What's wrong?" She asked curiously. No matter how much she disliked Harry, he was still her friend…kind of.

"I just heard from Seamus that Snape is giving us a pop quiz on all we've learned so far this year," Harry groaned and slammed his head back onto the table.

Ginny groaned as well and took out her Potions book, "_Everything_ we've learned???"

Ron looked up from his food and she saw that his eyes were narrow with malice, though she knew it wasn't for her, "Yeah, everything. Though, I don't see how much you could've learned, drooling over Malfoy all year."

She gasped at her brother's words and she suddenly lost her appetite. Weasley's _never_ lose their appetites, no matter how bad things around them are.

"RON!" Hermione screamed, smacking her boyfriend across the chest.

Ginny stood, gathering her books quickly and holding them in unsteady hands, "Tell Professor Snape that I'm…feeling ill. I won't be in class."

She practically ran out of the hall, but it didn't feel like it was fast enough. She just kept running until she was in a part of the castle that she didn't recognize. She looked around and saw a painting of a knight. The knight was tugging at a pony, but he was moving, which was what she needed.

"Excuse me…where can I…" Before she could finish, the short knight interrupted her. 

"Ah, a quest! You wish for I, Sir Cadogan, to help seek a destination? But, alas, I cannot refuse a maiden as fair as thee. I will lead you to the place you seek. Come, follow me, or else perish!!"

No…I just want to know where I am!" She said as she followed the resonating clanks of armor that the knight was making as he ran from painting to painting. 

"Follow me, sweet lady, for a noble knight like myself will bring you to where you wish to go!"

"You don't even know where…" Her protests died in her throat when her eyes fell on a large painting hanging on the wall. The clanking of Cadogan's armor seemed distant, now, as she stared at the painting in horror.

_It was a painting of Tom Riddle._

And written along the edge of the painting:

_Count the minutes_

_Count the hours_

_Until the Dark Lord_

_Comes back into power _

A/N: Well, it took a while for that chapter to come together. The damn ideas wouldn't come out, even after I hit myself over the head with a bloody sledgehammer. 

ANYWHO, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Review if you love me!!!

Love from the author


	11. Hate, Confusion and Confessions from the...

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 11

          She couldn't breath. She could feel the icy cold air circling around her body, but none of it reached her lungs. She felt like she was suffocating in a hallway full of air.

          Tom was smiling at her, his right eyebrow raised like it had been when he lured her into the Chamber during her first year at Hogwarts. His black, lifeless eyes were boring into her and she felt sick. 

          He licked his lips and she shuttered. Then someone joined him in the painting.

          She gasped, not willing to let herself believe what was right in front of her eyes. It couldn't be him!!

          But it was. Silver hair, gray eyes.

          _Draco_.

          His eyes met hers and he smirked. It was one of his cold smiles that he gave her during her first year, when he used to torment her.

          "No!" She screamed, feeling sick to her stomach. She wouldn't let herself believe that that person smirking maliciously at her was the same person she had kissed and loved the night before. 

          "I see you recognize young Malfoy here," Tom whispered, resting an elbow on Draco's shoulder.

          She shook her head, "No…it's not him!" She whimpered, fighting tears and the sickening dizziness that was slowly taking over her body. 

          "I'm afraid it is, Virginia." Tom hissed. "But who cares _who_ he is? What he's going to do is more important, don't you think, Malfoy?"

          Draco nodded, his eyes meeting hers again. She shivered. His gaze was like ice.

          "Well, Virginia, I must say, you have grown from the pathetic, little girl you once were. Such a beautiful creature now. I almost feel guilty that Malfoy will have to kill you…almost."

          The painting disappeared and Ginny fell to the floor in a heap of fiery red curls.

          Ginny wasn't in potions. Her seat next to him stood empty and cold. He wanted to know where she was.

          He _needed_ to know where she was.

          After an impossibly hard quiz, he asked Snape if he could be excused. He was out the door before Snape had even finished saying, "Yes."

          After searching for a few painfully long and unproductive minutes, Draco walked up to one of the paintings hanging on the wall. The woman in the frame curtsied.

          "Has a beautiful redhead gone this was? Her name is Ginny." Blimey, he felt dumb, talking to a painting.

          "A redhead, hmm? I do believe I saw a redhead some time ago."

          "Where did she go??" He asked impatiently, inadvertently raising his voice.

          "She ran towards the North Tower, but you don't have to be rude!" The woman walked off and left the canvas.

          He rolled his eyes and started towards the North Tower.

          Climbing flight after flight of stairs, he finally reached the landing, only to trip over something on the floor.

          He fell flat on his back and silently thanked Merlin that the hallway was empty.

          Sitting up, he saw what he had tripped over. It was a girl with skin too pale and hair too red.

          She was perfect. Blimey, _she was Ginny!_

          He had reached her side when he realized her head rested in a pool of crimson…blood from her body.

          He bit his lip and checked her wrist for a pulse. Her skin was cold…death cold. 

(Hmm…should I stop there???)

(Nah, I'll be nice)

          "She's lucky you came along when you did, Mr. Malfoy. That was quite a fall she had. She lost a lot of blood. You deserve to be rewarded for your deed. Ten points to Slytherin."

          "I don't want points! I want Ginny to be ok!!"

          "I certainly cannot let this act go unrewarded."

          He frowned at Pomfrey, "It'll be reward enough when I see Ginny smiling again." He let his eyes fall to Ginny. She was too pale. The piece of black fabric was still pressed to the gash on her forehead. He had ripped it from his robe. 

It broke his heart seeing her like this, helpless and small like a child.

          "Alright, Mr. Malfoy. I'll see what I can do for Miss Weasley."

          "What can I do? I can't just wait here!!"

          "I suppose you could go get her brother, if you need something to do." 

          He felt like he was being sent to Azkaban. The second Pomfrey told him to tell Weasley about Ginny, he knew the redhead'd probably murder him.

          And yet…he was still walking towards McGonagall's classroom. 

          "So good of you to join us, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall said sarcastically when she noticed him in the doorway. 

          "I was in the Hospital Wing…may I speak to Wea…um…_Ron_?" Ugh, calling Weasley by his first name was…ugh! It was all he could do not to throw-up.

          "Very well, Mr. Malfoy. I do believe you can find his seat on your own," A few people snickered at the professor's comment. He ignored it and navigated through the sea of desks to the Dream Team.

          "What do you want, Malfoy??" Potter asked, glaring. He rolled his eyes.

          "Not that it's any of your concern, Potter, but Weasley's sister is in the Hospital Wing." He turned to Weasley to see his reaction, but soon found himself shoved against a desk, the redhead's fist raised to punch.

          "What'd you do to my sister??!?!?!"

          "Nothing!"

          Draco rolled out of the way and fell to the ground, Weasley's fist hitting the desk instead of his face.

          "Malfoy! Weasley!! What is the meaning of this????" McGonagall screamed. Every head in the class was now turned on the two of them. 

          "Nothing, Professor. I just need to take Weas…um…Ron to the Hospital Wing. His sister is there." He said quickly, standing from the floor. McGonagall looked at him, her eyes narrowing.

          "Very well, Mr. Malfoy. Take Mr. Weasley down," Potter and Granger both opened their mouths to protest, "And bring Mr. Potter and Miss Granger with you as well."

          He groaned as the Dream Team walked triumphantly ahead of him.

          Being in Azkaban was better then this!!

          It was late. He had been sitting in the same chair for hours but he couldn't sleep. Every move she made caused his eyes to snap open. Every sound made him think she was waking.

          But it was well after midnight now and she still showed no signs of opening her eyes. 

          He stood from his seat and walked closer to the bed. He looked over her sadly, noting that her skin was even paler then it had been when he first brought her. A few beads of sweat had formed on her upper lip. Pomfrey said she had a fever, some kind of Muggle sickness.

          He wished she'd wake up. It was too hard, watching her lie there, barely moving, barely breathing.

          He knew he should go back to his dorm. He had been saying it to himself for hours. Pomfrey actually threatened to give him detention if he didn't leave, but he refused. He wouldn't leave Ginny's side.

          He _couldn't_ leave Ginny's side.

          Not realizing it, he sat down at the edge of her bed, a finger stroking her red hair absentmindedly. Looking down, he let his mind freeze the way Ginny looked at that moment. Despite the paleness of her skin, despite the bloodied bandage wrapped around her forehead…despite everything, she'd never looked more beautiful to him and he wanted his mind to remember that.

          He planted a kiss softly on her forehead, watching her brow furrow though she was unconscious. He smiled and touched her face gently. Her skin was so soft. He traced her lips with his pointer finger, and then replaced his finger with his lips, barely touching her. He smiled again and went back to tenderly stroking her hair. 

          He stopped when he felt her fingers tighten around his wrist.

          "I can't sleep if you're doing that," She mumbled groggily, her eyes still closed.

          "I'm tired of you sleeping," He replied quietly. Her eyes snapped open at the sound of his voice.

          They weren't filled with happiness…they were filled with pain, confusion…and malice.

          "What are _you_ doing here?" She hissed, taking him by surprise. What was wrong with her??

          "Ginny, do you remember what happened? What made you fall?"

          "_What are you doing here_?" She repeated icily, moving away from him on the bed.

          "Ginny, I…"

          "You what?? Hmm…you didn't expect me to find out? You don't _really_ want to do it?? What, _Malfoy_, enlighten me!!" 

          "Find out what? Really want to do what?? Ginny, what are you talking about???" 

          "Don't act all innocent, Malfoy. You were never good at acting." The bitterness in her voice stung him. How could he have done something to hurt her? She'd been passed out since the morning!!

          "What the hell are you rambling about, Ginny, because I have no idea." 

          "Why don't you ask Tom?" She spit out the words like they were poison. 

          "Tom?? The guy from the Leaky Cauldron?? Why would I ask him anything?"  

          "You know what I'm talking about Malfoy!!" She screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks.

          "No, I don't, Ginny! And stop calling me Malfoy!!" Now he was angry. He hated being accused of something that he didn't do, but he hated it more when he didn't know what he was being accused of.

          She closed her eyes, tears escaping from under her lashes. When she opened them, the brown had softened, "You really don't know?" 

          It was barely a whisper, but he heard her, "No, I don't!" 

          "Tom Marvolo Riddle. Rearrange the letters and it spells I Am Lord Voldemort. I saw a painting of him…and you were in it."

          His eyes widened, "A painting of me and Voldemort? How could that be? Ginny, I've never even met Voldemort."

          "Yeah, well, it's kinda hard to misidentify someone like you. There aren't many six-foot-tall guys with silver-blonde hair running around."

          "My father," He whispered softly, "It was a painting of Voldemort and my father. He and I…I look just like he did when he was my age."

          "Riddle said that you…your father was…was…" She squeezed her eyes shut, her voice cracking. Tears were spilling out again, "You father is going to kill me."

          "What?" He asked, bringing Ginny into his arms. She pushed away, standing from the bed. 

          "I can't do this. We…we can't do this. You're…" Tears were pouring out of her chocolate eyes.

          "Don't cry Ginny. You're tears make the world weep."

          "Don't do that!!! Don't try and make it better!!! My life is falling apart and it's because of _your_ father. I was fine until now, Draco. I was happy…but now I'm living with the thought of my own death weighing my shoulders down!!" She turned to the door, but he reached out and grabbed her wrist.

          "Don't go Ginny!" 

          "Why shouldn't I?? You certainly wouldn't care. Once the Weasley wench is gone, you can have whatever…whoever you want!!"

          "Ginny, that's not…"

          "Come on, Draco. Tell me why I shouldn't go. Tell me why the hell I shouldn't walk out that bloody door and put this part of my life behind me!!!"

          "Because I Love You!!!"

          "What?" She whispered, blinking tears out of her eyes. He knew how she felt. He was just as shocked that he had said it.

          "Yeah, I bet you'd never believe that a Malfoy could have feelings. Well, I do!! I've loved more then you can even imagine. I've lost love, too, and I don't want to lose you. I can't lose you…I'd die," He took a breath, closing his eyes, "I love you so much, Ginny…I have ever since that day on the train…I just never realized it."

          "But…"

          "No, Ginny, there aren't any if, ands, or buts. Don't you understand? No other plans, no other dreams, no grand adventures in the world would mean anything to me if I couldn't have you."

          "You can't, Draco…we can't…"

          "Why not?? Because of my father?" She nodded, her eyes on the floor, "Ginny, I'll protect you from him. He won't hurt you unless he kills me first."

          "That's just it, Draco. He _would_ kill you to get to me. I couldn't let that happen."

          "_Why not_???"

          "Because I love you, too." She whispered.

          "Oh," was his only reply. 

          "I'd rather die then let you sacrifice yourself for me." She started crying again and he took her into his arms. 

          "Ginny, it's ok. My father won't get anywhere near you. And if you don't believe me…we…could go to Dumbledore." 

A/N- Well, I'm pretty proud of this chapter…had you scared for a minute with the 'death cold' thing, didn't I?? Good, lol, you all need some excitement in you lives. Hope you guys enjoyed…REVIEW!!! I want reviews…pretty please

Love from the author        


	12. Why Can't You Ever Be Happy For Me?

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 12

          It felt strange, standing in Dumbledore's office and not actually being in trouble. The second she stepped into the office, she regretted agreeing to come. She had no way of proving that anyone was after her. And what was she going to say when Dumbledore entered the room?? _Excuse me sir; I think someone is going to kill me because a talking painting told me??_

"Gin, are you alright?" She looked up, meeting Draco's silvery eyes. A simple nod was the only way she could respond. He squeezed her hand. 

          "Mr. Malfoy…Miss Weasley. It's a bit late, don't you agree?" Ginny's heart practically stopped when Dumbledore appeared in the room, his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses.

          "Professor Dumbledore, Ginny…is…she…fears for her life," Draco stuttered. Now it was her turn to squeeze his hand. 

          "And why does she feel that her life is in danger?"

          Taking a deep breath, she quickly explained. When she had finished, Dumbledore looked sadly over the rim of his glasses.

          "This is extremely alarming. I wish there was something I could do, but, by what you have told me, you have no hardcore evidence that Lucious Malfoy is plotting against you."

          "But Professor!!" Draco protested.

          "Mr. Malfoy, though there is no solid proof, I still believe what Miss Weasley has told me. The Ministry has been watching your father for years and even an old, Muggle-loving Headmaster like myself can see that he has never liked the Weaselys." Draco winced but didn't respond to what Dumbledore had said.

          "So what can we…I do?" She asked, finding herself gripping Draco's hand so tightly that her knuckles were white.

          "There is nothing we can do, Miss Weasley, though I regret to say that. The Ministry won't act unless something occurs. I'm sorry."

          "But Professor, her life is in danger! We can't just sit on our arses and wait for her to get hurt!!" Draco protested, slamming his fist down on the table with a resonate bang. 

          "There isn't anything I can do, Mr. Malfoy. All I can say is that it is safest for Miss Weasley here at Hogwarts." Dumbledore calmly repeated. Draco looked like he could kill the headmaster.

          "But what about Christmas holiday?? Do I have to stay here then?"

          Dumbledore chuckled, "No, I suppose not. But I do believe it would be best if Mr. Malfoy joined you at the Burrow. He knows his father and might be able to help you."

          "Alright…but…oh, bloody hell. My brothers will kill him!"

          "How are you feeling Gin?" Harry asked as she walked into the Gryffindor Common Room and sat on one of the couches. Harry, Hermione and Ron were all sitting across from her. It didn't really surprise her that they were awake, even though it was so late that the horizon had started to turn pink with the coming sunrise. 

          "I'm feeling good," She said cautiously. The three sixth years looked too cheerful to be sincere.

          "It's pretty late," Ron started slowly. Ginny nodded, knowing where her brother was leading this conversation. All the small talk would lead to them putting her boyfriend down. What else could she expect from them? They didn't understand what she felt. Well…Hermione did, but if she had to, she'd side with Ron.

          Sighing, she rose from the couch, knowing full well that the three would get up with her.

          "What made you stay out so late, Ginny?" Ron asked in what she assumed he thought was a subtle tone. 

          "I don't know if you realized it or not, Ron, but I was in the Hospital Wing. Fever, blood gushing from my forehead…rings any bells??" Hermione coughed, but Ginny knew it was to cover up her laughter. She almost smiled. Maybe Hermione _wouldn't_ side with Ron and Harry after all. 

          "Ginny, I know you saw _him_," Harry said quietly, turning Ginny's eyes…and anger…towards him.

          "Of course I saw him, you git!!! He was in the bloody Hospital Wing when I woke up!!"

          "And what happened _once_ you woke up??" Ron asked, eyes narrow, ears red.

          She closed her eyes, fighting back tears, "Why can't you ever be happy for me?"

          It came out as a whisper and she was surprised that anyone had actually heard it. But they all did and they were all looking at her as though she had just revealed that she was Voldemort's right-hand man…er…woman.

          "Happy for you? _Happy for you???_ Why should I be happy that the only person who I hate more then You-Know-Who is knocking up my sister???" 

          Ginny gasped, tears splashing down her cheeks, "Ron…I've never EVER said anything about you and Hermione. And Harry…I've never said a word about Cho…but when I find something special…you two try to shoot it down. Why can't you just let me live my life and be happy for a change?? Is there some rule that says that the youngest Weasley will stay miserable until she's an old hag and dies alone??" Her eyes were so wet that she couldn't see and her cheeks were burning red with a mix of anger and depression.

          "He's only using you to get into your knickers," She heard Harry mutter. Taking a deep breath, she cleared her eyes and walked right up to him. For a moment, she looked into his green eyes, wondering what had happened to make her stop liking him, but then she realized it was because he had become an arse. It was that simple. He was a bloody emotionless git.

          "I'm sorry if you think that, but I _know_ he isn't using me. He's the only one in this whole bloody school that pays attention to me. He sees me as more then Ron's little sister…and that's special to me. That means the world to me!!" 

          "He's Slytherin scum, Ginny!" Ron exclaimed, ignoring her tears and the pain on her face.

          "Who cares what house he's in??? If I had been placed in Slytherin, I'd still be your sister, wouldn't I?? Houses don't make the person, Ron!!"

          Now it was Hermione's turn to speak up. She had been silent since the three had started fighting, but now she walked to stand beside Ginny, putting an arm around her shoulders.

          "Ginny's right. It doesn't matter what house you're in." Ginny smiled up at Hermione, thanking God that she had a friend like her.

          "YES IT DOES!!" Ron and Harry both yelled in unison.

          "Blimey, no it doesn't. If Voldemort…" Ron stopped Hermione, telling her not to say _his_ name. Both she and Ginny rolled their eyes, "…if You-Know-Who had been in a different house, it wouldn't have made a difference. He still would have been evil. He still would have killed all those innocent people." Both boys were silent, which wasn't surprising. Hermione had a point.

          Ginny shuddered, remembering the icy black eyes from the painting. 

          "Gin, are you ok?" Hermione whispered. She opened her eyes and met three concerned gazes. 

          "No, I'm not," She whispered, her eyes dropping to the ground. 

          Ron sighed, "Gin, I don't want you to see him anymore."

          Her face flushed red from her neck to the roots of her hair and she had to stop herself from giving her brother one hell of a shiner, "If I want to see him, I will. You can't stop me!"

          "Ginny…" Ron started. He stopped, though, when she glared furiously at him.

          "Ron, just shut up. I'm going to see Draco and you'll just have to deal with it. And you'd better stop being an arse to him because he's staying with us over Christmas holiday."

          That one shocked even Hermione.

          "What??" Hermione asked breathlessly, sounding like she had just been running.

          Sighing, Ginny told them about all that had been happening to her, starting with the day in Diagon Alley and ending with her talk with Dumbledore. When she finished her story, she met three pairs of eyes full of shock for the second time in one night.

          "He really cares about you," Ron whispered, shaking his head in disbelief. Ginny smiled, knowing that her brother finally understood why she loved Draco.

          "Yeah, he really cares about me, though it took you long enough to realize it."

          The three sixth years smiled at Ginny with understanding shining in their eyes. Ginny sighed in relief before telling them she was going to bed, in the hopes of taking advantage of the three hours of sleep she could get.

          But those three hours of sleep never came. Her dreams were plagued with sickening images that turned every moment she had her eyes closed into a nightmare.

          When she woke up before breakfast all she could remember was a haunting pair of cold, black eyes and a sneering face that sent chills down her spine. 

A/N- Sorry it took so long to update. I've been busy with my school and stuff. Also, I've been enthralled with this new fic that Kayah and I are writing. It's called Sororius Vires. If you're smart, you'll read it, lol. Pretty please??? 

Love from the Author 


	13. You Died Just Like Allie

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 13

          Draco barely dragged himself out of bed the next morning. He had stayed up for the remainder of the night thinking about Ginny. It was hard _not_ to think about her.

          What had started out as a pleasant dream, though, had ended in a nightmare. 

          He had been lying in bed, staring at the canopy above his head, when the door creaked open. He had expected to see Allie enter the room, like she had the night of her murder, but Ginny walked in instead. Her red hair flowed gently down her back, contrasting brilliantly with her long, white nightgown. She looked like an angel.

          "Oy Ferret," She whispered, her eyes twinkling in the glowing light of the fire.

          "Oy Weasel," He said, smiling as she lay down beside him. She planted a soft kiss on his mouth and he closed his eyes, taking comfort in her soft, full lips.   

          "I like your hair all unruly," She breathed, playing with the blonde hair that was falling in front of his eyes.

          "I'll keep that in mind," He said softly, bringing his lips down to meet hers. He smiled when a moan rose in Ginny's throat.

          "Stop doing that," Ginny said quietly, pushing him gently off of her.

          "Doing what??"

          "Stop making me love you," She smiled and leaned over, crushing her lips to his. He was surprised by the hunger in her kiss, but he smiled, wrapping an arm around her back.

          That's when the door slammed open, Lucious Malfoy standing in the doorway, wand raised.

          "Thank you for making it easy, boy. The Dark Lord shall be pleased."

          He didn't know what was going on, but suddenly a thick, green light flashed in front of his eyes, blinding him. When the light flickered away, he realized that Ginny had gone limp in his arms. His father had killed her…just like he had killed Allison.

          When he finally rolled out of bed, he realized that everything in that dream could happen if Lucious ever found out about he and Ginny. Sighing, he dressed quickly, his robes wrinkled and unruly. He didn't bother combing his hair and the thought of gelling it didn't even cross his mind.

          He walked slowly towards the Great Hall, not wanting to see anyone except Ginny. He had to tell her about his dream. When he got to the doors to the hall, he met Ginny, who was flanked by Granger, Potter and her brother. When they saw him, they all smiled before leaving him and Ginny alone.

          "Oy Ferret," Ginny said, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. He smiled halfheartedly, snaking a protective arm around her waist. 

          "Morning," He mumbled. Ginny didn't seem to notice that he sounded as though he had just come from a funeral. 

          She smiled up at him, her gentle, brown gaze eyeing his disorderly hair.

          "I like your hair all unruly," She said softly, running a hand through his blonde hair. He shivered, slowly withdrawing his arm from her waist.

          _She had said that in his dream._

          "Um…I…er…I gotta go," He mentally slapped himself on the forehead as he walked to the Slytherin table, taking his seat. You don't stutter, Draco! No Malfoy ever stutters!

          Sighing, he put his head down on the tabletop, closing his eyes and trying to ignore the annoying voices of his housemates. He took comfort in the peace…that last for about three seconds.

          "DRAKIE!!"

          His head shot off the table when the unbelievably loud shriek rose from the seat next to him. 

          "What?" He asked, glaring at Pansy. Was she blind or something? Couldn't she see that he didn't want to talk to anyone??

          "Drakie, I wanted to know if you were going to Hogsmeade on Saturday."

          He sighed. It didn't surprise him that that was what Pansy had wanted to talk about. What had he expected anyway? Having a conversation about something meaningful would be way beyond her intelligence level. Wait…Pansy and intelligence in the same sentence. Ha! He chuckled softly at that.

          "Drakie, you didn't answer my question!" The annoying girl persisted. He sighed.

          "I don't know, Parkinson. What difference does it make to you?" 

          Pansy simply grinned, "I want _you_ to take _me_."

          He smirked, looking over at Ginny and catching her eye. She smiled. "Sorry, Parkinson, but I'm going with someone else."

          "Oh, really, and who would that be??" 

          He didn't bother answering. He simply stood up and motioned for Ginny to follow him into the hallway, knowing Pansy was too thick to notice that he was gone. 

          While Harry and Ron were talking about Quidditch and broomsticks, Ginny sat quietly, eating her breakfast in silence. She couldn't shake the image of those cold, black eyes from her head. They were haunting…familiarly haunting. She knew them, but her mind refused to name them. Blimey, it was aggravating.

          She hid it well, though. Hermione kept reading from a thick tome titled A Guide to Medieval Sorcery and the two older boys kept chattering on about the latest Firebolt model, none of them suspecting that she was at the edge of an emotional breakdown. 

Those cold, black pits were making her nutters. 

It was then that she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She turned around, meeting a soft gray gaze. She smiled, sighing in relief that the eyes belonged to Draco. She half expected to meet the icy gaze that was plaguing her mind.

Draco was standing and he motioned for her to join him in the hallway. She gladly complied, leaving her seat at the Gryffindor table. She doubted anyone noticed her departure, being as they were all enthralled in one thing or another. 

He was leaning casually against a wall, his arms crossed across his chest. A ghost of a smile was lingering on his face, but she knew it wasn't a true smile.

Something was bothering him.

"Couldn't keep away, could you?" She said playfully, hoping that that would make him chuckle, smirk…anything!! 

His lips fell to a frown, "I had a dream last night."

"I'm assuming it was a bad dream," She said softly.

"Bloody hell, Ginny, why else would I be telling you??" He snapped, making her wince. _So he'd only confide in her if things were terrible?_

" I didn't mean it like that, Gin…I'm sorry." He said softly, reaching out to squeeze her hand, "It's just that I've felt cold since I woke up from that bloody dream. I feel like my body has been turned to ice."

"Draco, what happened in the dream?"

He hesitated, his eyes falling to the ground. For a long minute, Ginny thought he wasn't going to answer, but he finally looked up to meet her gaze. His eyes were full of emotion…full of sadness and pain.

"You died, Gin. You died just like Allie."

A/N- Hate me now, lol. How will Ginny react?? *Overdramatic gasp* Stay tuned for the next chapter, which will probably be a bit darker. I don't know yet…still gotta write it J

          Oh yeah…please please please go check out the awesome story that Kayah and I are writing! It's called Sororius Vires and I really think u'll enjoy it!!!!! 

          Thanks for everyone reviewing…big shout out to Kayah (best co-writer in the world)

          Ok, I'm done…next chapter soon unless u guys don't review. Then I'll never update again!!! MUAH HA

          Love from the Author


	14. Powerful Enough to Save Her

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 14

          He hadn't meant to say that. Mentioning Allie had been a mistake and he wished the name hadn't fallen from his lips, but Ginny had already heard it.

          "Allie? Who's Allie??"

          Bloody hell!! Why did he have to have said that??

          Lowering his eyes to his shoes he started his story, "Allie is…was my sister. My father used the Killing Curse on her."

          "He murdered his own daughter?!? Why?" Ginny exclaimed. Her doe like eyes were wide and full of concern that made Draco's bottom lip quiver. Nobody had ever looked at him like that before he met her.

          "The bastard did it because he wanted me to get the mark and Allie tried to stop him."

          Ginny's gaze fell to the floor as she tried to hide tears, her voice cracking as she spoke, "How old was she?" 

          "Six. She was only six years old and the bloody bastard killed her!!"

          "What happened after that? Did you tell anyone?"

          "How could I? He gave me the mark, so I was considered a Death Eater. Nobody on the "good" side would have believed me because I bore Voldemort's mark and nobody on the "dark" said would care because it would be Lucious' word against mine."

          "That's why you left that first night in Myrtle's bathroom. You saw I had the mark and you got scared."

          "Of course that's why I left, Gin!! I knew my father had done that to you and I couldn't stand to look at it. It's hard enough living with the one I have."

          Ginny paused, wiping away tears before they could spill from her eyes, "Where is it?"

          "Right over my heart. Ironic, isn't it?"

          Ginny smiled sadly, "I'm sorry about Allie. If she was anything like you, I bet I would've loved her." She enveloped him in a warm embrace, her head on his shoulder.

          "Yeah, you would have."

          It was strange but after he had talked to Ginny, the ice in his body had melted and he could feel warmth and love again. Funny that talking about Allie had fought off the chill.

          Now, sitting in Charms, Draco couldn't help but smile. He was wedged between Crabbe and Goyle and they were both looking at him as though he were an escapee from St. Mungos. A smile on Draco Malfoy's face was something they weren't accustomed to.

          Even when Professor Flitwick climbed onto his tower of books and began to address the class, Draco's smile didn't waver. 

          Ginny, who sat a few rows in front of him, turned around and mouthed, "I love you."

          His grin widened as he returned the silent declaration and she turned back around. That was when Professor Flitwick's words caught his attention.

          "Love is the strongest form of magic, as written in Old and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charms. Now, can anyone tell me why this is?"

          Granger's hand shot up before the tiny wizard had finished his question and she spoke before Flitwick had finished saying her name.

          "Love is the most powerful magic because it is true and, if strong enough, it can rival the power of even the greatest wizards." She smiled smugly.

          "Well done!" Flitwick squeaked before continuing with his lesson, "Now, there are many things love is capable of, but the most remarkable is bringing on the Economiser L'amour spell. Does anyone know what that is?? Ah, yes, Miss Granger."

          "The Economiser L'amour spell is when all the love in a witch or wizard is transferred into the power to heal. It is powerful enough to heal the greatest wounds, even the Killing Curse."

          "Correct again!! The Economiser L'amour spell gives a person the power to heal a mortally wounded loved one…if the love is pure. Love that has been brought on by greed or beauty would not be enough to trigger the spell and the wounded would die."

          "That was a strange lesson, don't you think??"

          "Yeah, it was," Draco said softly as the two walked, hand in hand, out of the Charms classroom.

          "I wonder why Flitwick just decided to teach us that. I mean, just last week we were trying to make books float in circles and now we're studying some ancient love spell," Ginny said with a giggle.

          "Do you think it would work with us?"

Ginny head turned quickly, her brown eyes taking his, "What??"

"If one of us was ever in a life-or-death situation, do you think we'd be able to use the spell?"

"I…I don't know," Ginny stuttered, biting her lip.

"So you don't think our love is pure?" He said, his voice free of emotion.

"Draco, of course I think…no…I _know_ it is. I just don't want to think about ever being in that position."

He nodded, "You're right. We shouldn't think about it."

"Draco…"

"No, Gin, it's fine. Now, you need to get to class," He glued a smile to his lips and kissed her quickly before pushing her gently towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

He sighed to himself, unable to stop himself from pondering over the Charms lesson.

_Would his love for Ginny be powerful enough to save her?? _

A/N- Wow, that was kinda short. Oh well. I just finished with exams and haven't had much time to write. Word of Advice: keep this chapter in mind. Some of the stuff will come back later J

     Review if you love me

          Kelly


	15. Fighting Flames

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 15

_To Draco,_

_          As may be expected of such a highly regarded man, I have been extremely busy, therefore unable to respond to your letter until this time. I was captivated by your sudden interest in my affairs. Usually the only questions directed to me are asking about meals while you are at the manor. Perhaps the true reason behind my response is because I am intrigued. Reasons do not matter, though._

_          I will be blunt, for my time is too precious to be spent hunched over a desk, writing a letter to my son. My abrupt interest in Virginia Weasley is due to the same interest shared by another person. For a reason I have not yet been able to obtain, the Dark Lord wishes to meet with the young Weasley girl. I, naturally, suggested that we use the girl to bring Voldemort back to his former self, in power and in mind. He agreed, though I do not know why. I am aware that he met her a few years ago after luring her into the Chamber of Secrets. I suppose he would have used her then to return to power if Potter hadn't intervened. _

_          I have also heard some interesting pieces of information that do not concern Harry Potter or Lord Voldemort, for that matter. _

_I do believe you are aware of my friendship to the Parkinson family. The daughter, Pansy, wrote me a letter telling me that she had seen you and Virginia together, and, by together, I do not believe she meant feuding. I will go out on a limb and assume that your closeness to the girl is the result of learning the Dark Lord's plan before I have told you. If this isn't the case, though, you will regret it. I do believe a similar threat was made during the summer and you know how that ended. I do not tolerate disobedience. _

_I expect a response by the end of next week. If one is not received, I will travel to your school and I do not believe you would like what would come from my visit. Just keep your late sister in mind and respond quickly._

_Lucious Malfoy _

          Draco's hand was shaking by the time he finished the letter. This couldn't be happening! In the back of his mind he had known it was his father who was trying to hurt Ginny, but he hadn't wanted to believe it. He wanted to ignore the fact that he was sick to his stomach just like he had been on the day of Cedric Diggory's murder. He wanted to forget everything and pretend that Ginny was just being paranoid and that nobody was trying to hurt her. 

          This letter proved that it couldn't be ignored. The only person in the world that he loved was the prime target of the only person her hated.

          He knew he should have brought the letter to Dumbledore, but he didn't He simply wrote a reply, lying and telling his father that he was using Ginny to help Voldemort.

          "Hermione, I know this is a pointless question, which I've asked in the past, but why do we need to go to class if we're going to Hogsmeade after first lesson??"

          The older girl, who she had been walking next to, turned, her eyes wide in disbelief, "Ginny!! You, of all people should value your education…" Hermione's voice trailed off as she saw Ginny wasn't paying attention. She was too busy smiling towards a blonde leaning against Snape's doorway to care for her friend's lecture. 

          It was December and, due to teacher's cramming them with homework in an effort to drill everything into their heads before Christmas, Ginny hadn't seen Draco much. 

          "Hey Ginger," He said as Ginny ran up to him. He took her in his arms and kissed her, making her giggle and Hermione blush.

          "It seems like I barely see you," Ginny said softly as they walked into the classroom, Draco's arm snaked around her waist.

          "I know…it's been torture."

          Ginny laughed as she caught sight of her boyfriend, unable to believe that the "Ice Prince of Hogwarts" was pouting like a little kid.

          "Don't mock my pain, Gin. Remember what happened last time you did that?"

          She grinned, recalling how, as punishment for making fun of him, Draco had tickled her sides until they hurt and she could barely breath.

          "Mr. Malfoy, Miss Weasley, are the two of you capable of finding your seats or should we have a tour guide sent over to assist you?" Snape said icily. The two took their seats, barely hiding their laughter.

          It had started to snow by the time the students allowed to attend the trip began to walk down to Hogsmeade. Ginny was skipping along side him, her tongue stuck out to catch snowflakes.

          Looking at her made him feel guilty. In coming in contact with his father, he had put her life in immediate danger.

          He had to tell her about the letter.

          "Hey, Gin," He said softly. She immediately turned to meet his gaze, snowflakes glistening in her hair. Her eyes were bright and she was smiling.

          "What do you want, ferret?" She asked, her eyes glittering mischievously. 

          He sighed, wrapping her in his arms as they continued walking.

          "My father really hates you, Gin," He whispered into her hair.

          To his surprise, Ginny laughed, "It's a good thing I love you instead of him, isn't it?"

          "Gin, he sent me a letter a while ago."

          "Draco, whatever it is, it can't be that bad." He spun around at her comment, glaring into her wide, brown eyes.

          "It is bad, Ginny! He's going to kill you! He's going to use you to bring Voldemort back!!"

 He expected her to gasp or curse or at least bite her lip…but she didn't react at all. Her face stayed cool and almost emotionless.   

          "I know," She said simply.

          "You…you know. How can you know and pretend that everything is normal??"

          "Because I'm trying to get on with my life. I've been dealing with stuff like this ever since my first year at Hogwarts! The image of Tom burning a hole in my eyelids!!"

          "Ginny, this isn't Tom Riddle!! This isn't some sixteen-year-old form of a man. This is my bloody father and Lord Voldemort!!"

          "I KNOW!!" Ginny screamed and, for the first time, he realized that people had stopped to listen. Angry, he pulled Ginny off the path to avoid any more eavesdropping. 

          "Ginny, this is stupid. I don't want to fight," He whispered, pressing his forehead against a giant oak tree. 

          "I know you don't want to. I just can't stand people trying to remind me of things I'm well aware of…now, can we just go to Hogsmeade?"

          "What do you want for Christmas?" Ginny asked as she and Draco walked down the streets of Hogsmeade. The snow had stopped, but not before embracing the world in a glistening white blanket. 

          "I don't know. Nobody's ever asked me before"

          Ginny shrugged and they continued walking in silence. A few minutes later, Ginny stopped in front of the robe shop. In the window, surrounded by colorful cloaks and Hogwarts uniforms, was a beautiful leather jacket. A card hovering about it said that it was charmed to fit to the wearer's body.

          "Is that what you want for Christmas?" Draco inquired. She had forgotten about him for a second.

          "It's beautiful…but I could buy ten racing brooms for that price!!" 

          "But you want it," Draco said, squeezing her arm. It wasn't a question. It was a statement. 

          "Don't even think about it, ferret. It's too expensive." Ironic enough, she was the one to drag him away from the window.

          "Fine! I'll buy you a nice," Here, Draco coughed what suspiciously sounded like the word boring, "Book."

          She hit him on the chest and smiled, pulling him towards the Three Broomsticks. They sat at a table near the fireplace and ordered a large butterbeer to share.

          As they waited, neither really spoke. Ginny was staring at the fire, watching the logs crackle and hiss. She noticed that the fire was slowing dying, its red and orange fingers not reaching quite as high as they used to.

          It made her wonder if her relationship with Draco was going to be like that. If they'd be happy for a while, burning high and strong, but the love would eventually die just like the flames.

          "Draco," She said quietly. He looked up from the table to meet her gaze, a few loose strands of hair falling in front of his eyes.    

          "Hmm?"

          "Do you think that we'll last?" She asked, tears choking her throat. She needed him to say 'yes' and calm her fears.

          But he couldn't. Before he could answer, the flames in the fireplace sprung to life, engulfing them in a circle of fire. Ginny screamed as the giant red and orange fingers licked her arm. White-hot pain shot through her body.

          "Ginny!" She heard Draco yell, but he seemed so far away. She closed her eyes, pleading with God for the pain to stop, even if it meant being burned to death. She just wanted the pain to go away.

          And as she fell into the blackness, the pain subsided, but so did her breath.

(I think this is a good place to end it, don't you??)

(Judging by the angry looks on your face, I'll take that as a 'no' and continue :) )

          Draco was getting used to the white walls of the hospital wing. This was the third time he'd been here since the beginning of the school year.

          "Mr. Malfoy."

          An unwelcome voice snapped him out of his reverie. Turning around in his seat, he saw Professor Dumbledore, a grave look on his face.

          "Headmaster," He said quietly, giving the professor a short nod of acknowledgement. 

          "I'm starting to believe that danger likes to follow you and Miss Weasley. This is the third time either one of you has been in the hospital. Am I correct?"

          He nodded before turning back to the bed where Ginny lay. Her right arm was wrapped in bandages, hiding the burned skin and a thin line of sweat has forming on her brow.

          "Did Madame Pomfrey say if she was going to be ok?" He asked without taking his eyes from Ginny. She looked so helpless.

          "Miss Weasley will, indeed, be roaming the halls of Hogwarts by tomorrow."

          "With all do respect, Professor, if she's going to be alright, then why are you here?" 

          Dumbledore chuckled before his face, once again, turned grave, "The fireplace at the Three Broomsticks did not simply decided to blow up. Somebody made it happen. In light of the recent acts against Miss Weasley, I believe it was your father who tried to kill her. She would, indeed, be dead if you hadn't thought quickly and gotten her out of there."

          "My father…I would have seen him."

          "Ah, Mr. Malfoy, there are things about your father that you do not know. I can tell you with the utmost sincerity that your father was there and that he used an Explosion Charm to try and take Miss Weasley's life."

          "Professor, he couldn't have! It's impossible to miss somebody with silver hair!"

          "I remember your father when he attended Hogwarts. I remember catching him sneaking out of the Slytherin Common Room several times. After his third year, though, I stopped catching him. And do you know why?" Draco shook his head, "Because he has an Invisibility Cloak. With the aid of one, he snuck into the Kitchens night after night, just to order around the House Elves. He used it today, Mr. Malfoy."

          "What's going to happen? Could he use the cloak to sneak onto the grounds here?"

          "No, my boy, he could not. But he could use it to capture Miss Weasley after she leaves Hogwarts and that is why I think that, after you two leave for Christmas holiday, she should be put under the Fidelius Charm."

A/N- Nice, juicy, long chapter, which took forever to write. Sorry about that. Review or else I'll never ever ever write again :P Lol, wouldn't do that, but I want reviews!!!! 


	16. What The Hell Was That :P

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

Chapter 16

          Pain. That's the only word that could describe how she felt as she breathed, coughed, moved. The pain was in her arm, but crawled slowly through the rest of her body. 

          It had been almost two weeks ago that she had been engulfed in flames. She shuttered thinking about it. She was surprised that only her arm had been burned.

          Draco had been at her bedside everyday that she was trapped in the hospital wing. Pomfrey had her under so many spells that she felt no pain then. She had begged the nurse numerous times to release her and, now that she had, she wished she were still under lock and key in the hospital. It hurt getting out of bed and getting dressed. She almost fainted from pain by doing something as simple as walking down to the Great Hall.

          But Draco had held her up each step down to the Great Hall, keeping her from falling or carrying her if she did. He had gotten the fireplace in her dorm connected with his, via Floo Network, and came by each morning, helping her with the simple things. She loved him more then ever for it.

          And now it was almost Christmas. They'd be leaving for holiday tomorrow and she still hadn't gotten Draco a gift. When could she have? After nearly being blown up at the Three Broomsticks, any shopping in Hogsmeade was out of the question. It took a while, but she finally realized what the perfect gift would be.

          When she was ten, her brother Charlie sent a letter telling her that he couldn't make it home for her birthday. One of the dragons he was breeding was about to give birth and he couldn't leave. With the letter, he sent a small stuffed-animal dragon and a necklace. She could only assume that Charlie hadn't realized the necklace was for guys. It was a dragon pendant with icy gray eyes hanging from a thick, black chain. 

          She sighed as she pulled the necklace from her jewelry box, her finger brushing over the face of the dragon. It snorted a bit of smoke at her and she sighed again. 

          It was perfect for Draco.

          "Ginny, are you coming!" She heard Ron call from downstairs. 

          "I'll be right there," She said back, taking her wand and using it to make her bags float downstairs. There was no way she could've carried them. 

          She walked slowly down into the Common Room, giggling at the scared expressions on some first years. Apparently they weren't accustomed to floating luggage. 

          Ron and Hermione were at the bottom of the staircase, Harry standing a bit to the side, an expression of anger on his face. She would've contemplated the reason for this, but she saw a fourth person in the room that she hadn't noticed. He looked uncomfortable being surrounded by gold and scarlet. 

          "Draco!!" Ginny squealed before running over to him. He smiled and wrapped his arms carefully around her, avoiding her bandaged arm.

          "Surprised to see me?" He said a bit sarcastically. He was still smiling, though. 

          "How'd you get in?? You couldn't have used my fireplace with all your bags."

          "Your brother let me in," By the sound of his voice, he still didn't believe it. She simply couldn't believe that her brother would let a Slytherin into the Gryffindor Common Room, especially if the Slytherin was Draco Malfoy.

          "Ron…you…you let him in??" She stuttered. She was still in shock, very well near having a heart attack. Her brother, anti-Malfoy, anti-Slytherin, anti-anything-that-isn't-Gryffindor…that brother had let in what he fondly referred to as The Spawn of Satan???

          Shaking her head, she turned to Ron, who was scarlet red from his neck to the base of his hair. He nodded slowly and she smiled, running over and hugging him.

          "Thank you!!" She said happily as Ron nervously pat her back. He didn't understand how much it meant to her. Not the letting-Draco-in thing, but the feelings behind that. Ron was starting to accept Draco and that meant the world to her. 

          "Let's go before the bloody train leaves!" Harry said icily before turning quickly towards the portrait hole and leaving.

          "What's wrong with him??" Ginny asked, pulling away from her brother.

          "Maybe he shoved his wand too far up his…" Draco started but Ron shot him a withering glare and he stopped mid-sentence. A smirk had managed to form on his lips though. 

          "Cho called it quits with him last night after dinner, right in front of everybody. She said something about not wanting to be tied down once she leaves Hogwarts this year."

          "Oh, wow! Harry must be heartbroken," Ginny muttered.

          "I always knew that girl would be trouble," Ron said before bending down and grabbing the handle of his trunk. 

          The silence in the train compartment was strange, almost eerie. It was only Draco, Harry and Ginny. Ron and Hermione were in a compartment of their own, snogging like crazy, no doubt.

          She didn't dare say anything, sensing the tension between the two guys. They didn't have to be glaring at each other to give off the feeling of hatred. It was weird, though. Harry had seemed to be warming up to Draco but now they were back to glare-I-Hate-You-argh mode.

          She sighed, pressing her face against the glass. Christmas holiday with two feuding sixteen year olds was going to be fun!

          The door of the compartment slammed open and a dark haired Slytherin boy stood there.

          "Malfoy, Parkinson needs to talk to you." The boy said, his features hauntingly dark. 

          "Tell her to bugger off, Zabini," Draco said curtly, making her look up. It scared her to see his features so…dark. 

          "I can't do that, Malfoy. She wants to talk to you and said something about a Weasley and your father."

          Ginny's brow furrowed. Why was Pansy Parkinson talking about her?? Before she could think of an answer, Draco rose from his seat and stalked out of the compartment. 

          She was still utterly confused when Harry spoke for the first time since the train left Hogsmeade Station. It had been a good ten minutes since Draco had left. 

          "Why's Malfoy being such a prick??"

          "H…Harry, he's not being a prick…he's not doing anything wrong."

          "Then why's he going to visit Parkinson, whore of the Slytherin House?" The ice in his voice was scary. This wasn't the Harry she knew.

          "Harry, stop it. You're not acting like yourself."

          "How would you know?? You're too busy sucking faces with Malfoy to know how I normally act!"

          She winced, trying to get away as Harry sat next to her, grabbing her arm harshly. Pain shot through it as he tightened his hand and squeezed the burned skin.

          "Harry, stop it! You're hurting me!!"

          "Am I??" Harry hissed, before crushing his lips over hers, kissing her roughly, painfully. She tried to push him away, but he was stronger and kept her right where she was. 

          Harry pulled away, his green eyes glinting maniacally, and she felt tears streaming down her face.

          "Get away from me!" She screamed. Harry smiled and moved aside, revealing that Draco Malfoy stood in the doorway, eyes narrow and jaw set.

          He couldn't believe the nerve of Pansy! That sad excuse for a girl had the audacity to actually threaten him, saying that if he didn't leave Ginny for her, she'd go to his father. Was she completely daft?? If she did that, his father would hurt Ginny, then hurt him and most likely kill Pansy to destroy the only evidence there was. 

          He sighed as he walked down the train, noting how the atmosphere changed drastically as you traveled from the Slytherin section to the Gryffindor section. It was actually funny, though not very surprising. The darkness that shadowed anything that was remotely Slytherin gave way to pristine sunlight that followed all Gryffindors.

          His brow furrowed when he noticed that his compartment door was open. It confused him even more when he heard the muffled conversation going on inside.

          "Harry, stop it! You're hurting me!!"

          "Am I??"

          Curiosity took over and he walked slowly to the doorway, his eyes narrowing when he saw the activities going on inside. There was Ginny underneath Potter, who was leaning down to her, the two of them snogging like crazy. He actually felt like barfing!!

          "Get away from me!" Ginny screamed. Potter conformed, moving aside to reveal him in the doorway. Ginny actually gasped, shocked that she had gotten caught. 

          "Draco!" She breathed, her brown eyes wide. He bit back a curse before turning and walking quickly down the train.

          How could he have been so stupid?? She was a Gryffindor, after all. They were all brown-nosing assholes that were sugarcoated for appearance sake. He knew that, had learned it first hand during school, and yet…he had walked right into this. He had fallen for her and it shouldn't have surprised him when he was stabbed in the back.

          "Draco, it's not how it looked!" He heard Ginny call from behind. He spun around angrily, making her stop short.

          "You're right! Silly me! You were choking and Potter was giving you mouth-to-mouth, is that right???" He spit out the words, hoping that he'd get rid of his feelings for Ginny at the same time.

          "Draco, I didn't kiss him! It was just Harry."

          "I'm sure that's how it went, _Weasley_! You, being perfect and innocent, the picture of all that is pure…you could never do something as malevolent as kiss!" He glared and continued walking.

          "Draco, why the hell could I willfully kiss Harry?? He's like me bloody brother!!"

          "I guess that incest is big in the Weasley family then."

          He was almost smirking when he felt Ginny's fist come in contact with his shoulder blade. For a girl, she had a bloody good punch!

          "What the hell did you do that for??" He hissed, spinning around again to face her.

          "I can't believe I fell in love with somebody as thick as you!! I need to resort to violence to get your bloody attention!!!" 

          "Fine, Weasley, you have my attention. What do you want??" He crossed his arms and glared.

          "I want you," She said in a voice barely rising over a whisper.

          "Apparently not as much as you want Potter," He said angrily, ignoring the tears that were in Ginny's eyes.

          "God, Draco, what do I have to do to prove that I don't want Harry?? You're the only person I want. Harry kissed me out of anger. He's pissed off about Cho and took advantage of me…momentarily. That's it. I didn't do anything to provoke him. I didn't tell him that I wanted him to kiss me!!"

          He turned away from Ginny, not wanting to believe her. For all he knew, it could all be a lie.

          _You know Ginny wouldn't do that_, came the annoying voice at the back of his head. He frowned and turned back to Ginny, who was crying hysterically.

          "You didn't kiss him back?" He asked quietly. Ginny shook her head and fell into his arms, crying into his shoulder.

          The two found an empty compartment and Ginny sat across from him, crying softly as she gazed out the window. It reminded him of the first time he had sat near her on the train. It wasn't too long ago, but so much had happened since then. 

          "I'm sorry, Ginny," He whispered. The only response was the muffled tears from the girl across from him. Tears that he had caused.

          Moments later, the older Weasley burst into the compartment, making both Draco and Ginny turn.

          "What the hell did you do to her, Malfoy???" The redhead hissed. He looked like he would be attacking him at the moment if Granger hadn't been holding him back.

          "Ask Po…" It surprised him when Ginny cut him off.

          "Ask po…ssibly anyone who's heard. I just…can't deal with all this stuff that's happening to me. Draco didn't do anything."

          He turned to her, a look of shock on his face. She was covering for Potter!! And after what he had done to her…was she mad?

          Hell, she was covering for Potter…

          "Gin, you know everything will be ok. Nothing bad'll happen to you."

          …And Weasley was buying it! Was there something off with this family or what??

          Why had she done it? Why had she covered for Harry after what he had done? It didn't seem like her…and it didn't help anything. She might have saved Harry's ass from the wrath of all the Weasley boys, but she knew she'd feel the wrath of the blonde Slytherin across from her.

          "Well…Gin…Hermione and I are gonna' go sit with Harry. We'll see you in a bit."

          And now her only salvation had left.

          "What the hell was that, Ginny??" Draco said after the compartment door had shut.

          "Draco…please don't fight with me. I can't stand fighting with you," She felt tears forming in her eyes again. 

          "Just explain why the hell you covered for Potter and I'll leave you alone," He said, crossing his arms. 

          "I did it…I…"

          "You know what? It doesn't matter! Apparently, you've never gotten over your crush on The Boy Who Lived!"

          With that, Draco slammed the compartment door open, leaving in a swish of black robes. She had never felt more alone in her life.

~*~

Well…that took a while. I'm not too pleased with the chapter, but I'm posting it anyway. Tell me what you think and yell at me for the cliff, if you like, lol. Be nice, though, cuz the next chapter is already in the works :)

The almighty, powerful, ruler of all that is Green and Gold…

                             Kellyanne


	17. What She Was Letting Go

~*~Green and Gold~*~

By Kellyanne

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…oh, I mean…I own nothing *sheepish grin*

          ~I am so sorry it took so long. Forgive me :(****

Chapter 17

          "I'm sitting here, Zabini," Draco said as he entered the compartment, not bothering to ask if he could. He was too angry to ask.

          "Have fun," Blaise Zabini responded, nodding curtly without even looking up from his book. 

          "What's wrong with you?" Draco snapped. At his comment, the dark haired boy looked up, setting down his copy of The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts.

          "I'd ask the same question," He said in an icy voice that rivaled his own.

          "What the hell is wrong with you??" Draco asked, his annoyance growing quickly.

          "Just realizing what a moron the alleged 'Prince of Slytherin' is…"

          "**_What_**???" Draco demanded. Blaise Zabini, one of the few Slytherins he could call a real friend without lying…he had called him, Draco Malfoy, a _moron_!

          "You heard me, Malfoy. You're a moron." 

          "You better be joking, Zabini, because I'm not taking this lightly!!" He hissed through clenched teeth. The other boy met his gaze.

          "Think about it this way, _Malfoy_. You used to be the most feared Slytherin in this school. Then you met that Weasley girl. Most of the people in our house think it's a joke or something, but I know it's not. I also know that she's the best thing that ever happened to you. Now you're pissed at her for God knows what reason! You're about to lose her." Blaise stood up, grabbing his book and walking to the compartment door. "That's why you're a moron, Malfoy!" 

          SLAM! He was alone in the compartment now, seething with anger and jealousy. What gave Blaise the right to insult him and draw conclusions _about him_??? What the hell was wrong with everyone???

          He stretched his legs so they rested where Blaise had been sitting. His fists were clenching and unclenching as he felt the urge to punch the windowpane. It was pathetic, really, how angry he was.

          It was Potter's fault too. Potter and Ginny. That's a perfect couple right there, he thought bitterly. Ginny and Potter. Ginny Potter. 

          He sighed. Ginny Malfoy.

          'You shouldn't be angry with her' the tiny voice at the back of his head whispered. God, he hated his conscience at the moment. 

          His thoughts drifted to her, remembering every smile, every laugh, every tear she had shed. And he was about to let that go because she had defended a family friend. A brother to her.

          He stood quickly, almost losing his balance. Ginny was right where he had left her moments ago, her knees brought to her chin as she sobbed quietly.

          "Ginny…" He said quietly, not able to continue as she looked up, her brown eyes red from crying.

          "What do you want?" She hissed, her eyes narrowing.

          "I'm sorry. I've never been more sorry in my life," He said, sitting next to her. He took it as a good thing that she didn't move away. 

          "Yeah, well, you damn well should be sorry," She said softly. 

          "Will…can you forgive me? It'll be a pretty lonely Christmas holiday if you don't." She looked up to meet his eyes again and slowly—painfully slowly— nodded her head. He smiled and kissed her hair.

          "I'm so sorry," He whispered into her beautiful red hair. She squeezed his hand gently and he smiled, never feeling more sorry in his life. God, he had made her cry! 

          It didn't matter anymore, though, because she had tipped up her chin and covered his lips with hers. 

He was in heaven.

          The train began to slow and that was when Ginny started to feel nervous. Here she was, sitting next to the son of her family's enemy, and she was about to face said family for the first time in months. They'd meet Draco for the first time…well…it'd be the first time they'd meet him as her boyfriend. As the man she loved. 

          "Gin, you ok?" Draco asked. She looked up and nodded slowly, not really sure if she was, in fact, ok. How could she be?? What if her family took one look at him and saw just the miniature version of his father?? What if they left him at Kings Cross Station????

          "Don't be nervous. If they hate me, they hate. I'm used to it," Draco said quietly. It hurt for him to think that being hated was normal. People shouldn't hate.

          "If I can love you, so can they," She said before kissing him gently. Then they were standing and walking off the train. Her heart practically stopped when she stepped onto the platform. Her mum, her dad…all her brothers except Fred and George…they all were looking right at Draco. 

          "Ginny! Oh, my little girl!!" Her mum squealed before rushing over to crush her in an embrace. The rest of the Weasleys followed, hugging her and kissing her like she hadn't been home in years. She felt Draco's hand slip from her own and she knew he was backing away. She didn't completely blame him. The horde of red hair must be frightening if you didn't belong to it.

          After all the, "How are you feeling, dears," and "You look wonderfuls," she could take, Ginny pulled away from her family and took Draco's hand back where it properly belonged: in hers.

          "Mum, Dad, this is…" She was cut off when her mum rushed over to Draco. 

          "Draco! We can't thank you enough for saving our little girl! How can we repay you??" Her mum asked, tears forming in her eyes. She crushed Draco in a hug, before he could respond, similar to the one she had been trapped in moments before and Draco looked as shocked as all the other Weasleys.

          The two oldest Weasley brothers slowly made their way to Draco after he was released from her mum's embrace.

          "Apparently you're the only one who can keep Gin in order," Charlie said good-naturedly, patting Draco's back in a manly version of a hug (at least that's what she assumed.) She sighed in relief at knowing they were accepting him, but then she realized what he said.

          "Hey, I don't need Draco to stay out of trouble!" She said quickly, earning a glare from the blonde who stood out very easily in the blob of red. 

          "Yeah you do," Bill said, laughing. The corners of his eyes crinkled and his wife, Fleur, swatted his chest. 

          "Leave her alone!" Fleur said, her words sprinkled with a French accent that had been slowly wearing off since she moved to London. 

          "I think your family likes me," Draco whispered, smiling widely. He kissed her forehead, his grin growing larger.

          "Well, you did save my life," She said, chuckling at the false look of hurt on Draco's face.

          "They'd have loved me even if I hadn't saved you," He crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly.

          "Well, love," She said, grabbing his hand, "If you hadn't saved me, I'd be dead and then…well…then my family'd kill you. We'd both be dead."

          She chuckled as he glared down at her.

          "Welcome to the Weasley family," She whispered.

          After waiting a bit longer on the platform, Weasley, Granger and Potter got off the train and all twelve of them made their way to a beat up Ford Angolia.

The drive, or flight, rather, was practically silent, save the putters and growls of the car. Ginny was the only one brave enough to talk, "So, are Fred and George going to be stuck at Hogwarts all break?" She asked, not really directing the question at anyway. He commended her for her bravery. Potter's glare was now aimed at her with added malice. She didn't seem to notice.

Mrs. Weasley was the one to answer, "I don't see why they'd be at Hogwarts, dear. If they're anywhere, it should be Hogsmeade. Hogwarts??" The woman chuckled, her red curls bouncing cheerfully, reminding him of a redheaded Mrs. Santa Claus.

"But…" Ginny started. For some reason, though, she stopped short. Draco shrugged, thinking that she had caught sight of Potter's glare or something.

Hours later, Ginny Weasley lay snuggled under her pale blue quilt, her brown eyes gazing at the ceiling that Fred and George had enchanted to resemble the Forbidden Forest. Lovely brothers as they are, they even charmed the walls to howl like werewolves every once in a while. She had grown accustomed to the howls, using them as alarm clocks. They went off every hour.

Dumbledore had visited about an hour after they had arrived at the Burrow, quickly placing her under the Fidelius Charm before returning to Hogwarts.  

The house was silent, something that usually never happened in the Weasley house. Maybe it was because the twins weren't here…or maybe it was because of Draco.

Everybody had accepted him as one of the family, welcoming them like they had Harry. The one who seemed to accept him the most, though, was Ron, the brother who had hated him since his first year at Hogwarts. It was strange.

Turning on her side, Ginny looked through the darkness to meet a pair of eyes that were as wide as her own. It was Christmas Eve, after all, and neither would fall asleep anytime soon.

"Hermione, what'd you say to make Ron…I dunno…like Draco more?" She asked in a whisper. She heard Hermione shift on her bed across from Ginny's.

"Me?? Well, I didn't do anything," Hermione said. If Ginny could see her friend's face, she'd bet a Galleon that her brow was furrowed.

"Well, if you didn't convince Ron, who did?"

"Your brother did, Gin."

"I don't know if you noticed, but I have quite a few brothers." Both girls laughed in the darkness. 

"Fred, I think. Ron said he walked in on Fred writing a letter to Draco. It was a bit odd."

"Why would Fred write a letter to Draco. _My _Draco??_ Draco Malfoy!"_

"I don't know. I tried asking Fred at the Three Broomsticks the day when…you know. Anyway, he changed the subject, telling me that you and Draco had just had a frightful row. I don't really understand why he dodged the question."

Ginny's eyes widened and she unintentionally shivered, "Fred was there when the fireplace blew up???" 

"Yeah, why? I was there too."

"Couldn't he have used magic or something to stop the fire? _He is _the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, after all!!!" She didn't mean to shout it, but she soon heard grumbling throughout the house and she knew she'd woken up her brothers. 

"It was fire, Gin, not dark magic!"

"But it _was_ dark magic, Hermione! Dumbledore told me so! He said only dark magic could target fire to surround someone."

Before Hermione could respond, the door slammed open, revealing a very angry, very groggy looking Harry. 

"You guys…inconsiderate…trying to sleep…" Most of what he said was lost due to constant yawning. She got what he was basically trying to say, though, and apologized. He left and Hermione kept quiet, though it sounded like she was smothering giggles into her pillow.

Ginny closed her eyes, wanting to try and get some sleep before her "alarm clock" of werewolves howls sounded to wake her up.    

          _She regretted it the second her lids were completely closed._

          Images flashed before her eyes after she had closed her eyes, images that made her want to scream but she couldn't. Her voice had gone dry. She couldn't open her eyes, either, because they seemed to be held shut by an invisible hand.

          She saw Fred hunched over a wooden desk, writing a letter to Draco…only it wasn't Fred. It was Lucius Malfoy, sneering down at the parchment that he was writing on. The letter said that he was going to kill her. He was writing in blood.

          Then she saw her and Draco as they fought, only the row didn't end like it had in reality. It continued until Draco slapped her across the face to shut her up. Her cheek was burning and she felt tears streaming down her cheeks. He had hit her! 

          Then came the fire, the hot, red fire that was dancing and licking at her flesh. Draco didn't rescue her this time. She met his eyes as the fire devoured her and he laughed. He laughed and laughed and laughed as she melted under the heat of the flames. Nobody cared that she was burning alive. They just pretended nothing was happening.

          Then came the most horrible of the images. It was the Quidditch pitch; only the lush green grass had been stained red with blood. Hermione and Ron and Harry…every student and teacher at Hogwarts was laying on the bloodied pitch, dead and cold and lifeless. There was only one person alive, though, and that person was Draco. He was crying, his tears silent but streaming down his cheeks all the same. He was looking down as though he was holding something in his arms. 

          Then she saw what he was carrying. _Who_ he was carrying.

          It was her, her Hogwarts uniform stained and dripping with her own blood. A knife was embedded in her chest. A pocketknife with the initials DM carved into the handle. 

          This image felt so real that she sat up in her bed and screamed. 

          Draco sighed, rolling onto his stomach, as he lay, wide-awake, in a sleeping bag on the floor of Weasley's room. He had been rolling in that same sleeping bag for hours, since he, Weasley and Potter had been sent to bed by Mrs. Weasley. The occupants of the house, which Draco found more welcoming then even the largest mansion his father could buy, all sat around a beat-up table in the kitchen, sipping hot cocoa and talking quietly. When it was midnight or so, Mrs. Weasley sent everyone to bed, including the oldest sons, Bill and Charlie, and Mr. Weasley. Draco had laughed his way up the stairs as he watched Bill sulk about having being sent to bed.

          Now, hours later, Draco still found himself wide-awake. It wasn't pre-Christmas jitters, though. He knew that for a fact. He'd never, in his lifetime, gotten excited for Christmas. That was his father's fault, but still, the excitement wasn't there.

          It was just something about this house, this family, which was keeping him awake. He didn't understand it. He didn't understand them! They were _excepting_ him, for God's sake! Nobody cared enough to do that, even if they'd known him for years and years. 

          …Until Ginny.

          Her entering his life was a blessing and he was grateful for her. He was grateful for her and the rest of her psychotic, redheaded family.

          He chuckled softly, thinking about what it must have looked like to see this horde of redheads crowding around a guy with silver-blonde hair. He rolled in his sleeping bag again, this time staying on his back to gaze at the ceiling. 

          It wasn't black like it should have been. It was orange. Bright, blinding orange. 

          "Stop tossing and turning, Malfoy, and go to sleep," Came the voice of Weasley.

          "It's kinda hard," He said, not bothering to keep his voice down. Hopefully Potter would wake up and never fall back to sleep. It would serve him right, after what he did to Ginny. _His_ Ginny.  

          "You just close your bloody eyes!!"

          He shuddered, remembering Allie saying something similar to that the night she died. He recovered though, "Even when I do that it still feels like daytime!"

          "What are you talking about Malfoy?"

          "Your walls! Your bloody orange walls!" He snapped, indignantly cracking his knuckles. Then came a noise that shocked him. Laughter. Weasley was laughing at him.

          "What's so damn funny?" Draco asked, feeling a corner of his mouth curl into his trademark smirk. 

          "I guess you're right. They are quite bright," Weasley said through a chuckle, the exasperated sound to his voice making Draco laugh. 

          Then Potter groaned, his head popping up through the darkness as he sat straight up in his bed. He groaned again upon seeing the alarm clock, which only made Draco laugh harder.

          "Too early…trying to sleep," Potter mumbled, groaning for the third time. For some reason, his garble made both Draco and Weasley shut up. The silence gave way to the sound of voices from somewhere downstairs. They were soft murmurs and then one suddenly grew to a yell. Potter's head shot up in the darkness and he stood, walking to the door as he wobbled sleepily, dangerously.

          When he returned, her muttered something about the girls being inconsiderate before he layback down.  

          The house was now completely silent, which comforted Draco, making his eyelids grow heavy. He sighed into his pillow, pulling it close as he thought of Ginny. She was probably asleep by now, her breathing soft and even as she dreamt. He wondered if she was dreaming about him. Was that possible??

          And the only answer was a scream.

          It was ear-piercing and heart-wrenching and Draco knew, without a doubt, that it was Ginny. 

          He jumped from his sleeping bag and took the stairs two at a time until he reached the door that opened to Ginny's room. 

          Granger was standing before Ginny, trying to hug her, comfort her, anything to calm her down. Ginny, though, was shaking uncontrollably, sobs erupting from her tiny body. 

          "What the hell happened to her, Granger?" He hissed as he sat beside Ginny, wrapping his arms around her. Ginny, though, refused to be held and squirmed away, huddling at the end of her bed.

          "I don't know. She just…just started crying," Granger's chin quavered and he knew that she was about to burst into tears like Ginny. 

          Tearing his eyes away from Ginny, he saw the rest of the Weasley family standing in the doorway. He dropped his gaze back down to Ginny, who was still shaking, her eyes red from crying. 

          "What's going on here??" Mr. Weasley asked, his voice groggy and yet hearable enough to show confusion.

          "You all go back to bed. I'll take care of her," Draco said, looking up from Ginny to address her family. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were both looking at him in shock while Bill just smiled warmly. Everybody else was silent, eyes on the ground. 

          Finally, after a long moment of silence, Mr. Weasley shook his head as though he were just waking from a dream, "She's my daughter. Shouldn't I…"

          This was when Granger stepped away from Ginny's bed, walking to stand in front of Mr. Weasley, "She doesn't need us, Mr. Weasley. She needs…him." 

          "She's right Arthur," Mrs. Weasley said slowly, her eyes moist and misty, threatening to spill over with tears, "Draco will take care of her just fine." Everybody except the older Weasley woman turned to leave. Her eyes met his and he understood that she trusted him with her daughter. _She_ trusted _him_. Him being a Malfoy, the son of a Deatheater, the guy who had made her daughter cry more then one time. _She trusted him._

"She'll be ok," He said quietly, not really sure if it was to reassure Mrs. Weasley or himself. Nevertheless, the woman smiled tearfully before walking slowly out the door, closing it quietly behind her. 

          He took a deep breath, closing his eyes, before looking over at the quavering girl at the end of the bed. Her eyes were bloodshot and glazed over with tears that were fresh and unshed. Her cheeks had paled, making her face eerie and unearthly. Her chin was shaking and she kept squeezing her eyes closed.

          "Ginny…" He said softly, moving to kneel before her on the floor, "Ginny, love, what happened?" He reached to take her hand, shocked when she pulled it away. She looked down at his hand and new tears fell.

          Draco followed her gaze and found fresh, red blood glistening on his skin. His eyes flicked back to Ginny's arm, where her hand had been, and saw nail marks that were slowly filling with blood.

          "Gin, why'd you do that to yourself?" He asked, his words coming out harsher then he had intended. He took a deep breath before continuing, "Ginny, what happened to make you scream? Is it because you hurt yourself? Is that why you screamed?"

          She whimpered, meeting his eyes. They were sad. Sad eyes. She shook her head.  

          "I…I…" Ginny bit her lip, rocking back and forth as she gripped her knees, blood trickling from the scratches on her arm.  

          "It's ok. Just tell me what happened. I'll make it better if you tell me what happened." He slowly lifted himself onto the bed, thanking God that she didn't move away as he settled down next to her, "What happened?"

          "I…I was laying in bed just…just thinking and then I closed my eyes and…and…" A singled tear fell down her cheek and he lifted a finger to wipe it away. She flinched at his touch. 

          "Did you have a dream? Was it a bad dream or something?" He asked in what he hoped was a soothing voice. He had never been good at comforting other people. 

          "Yes…and no. I was still awake…but…I couldn't open my eyes. Then the images kept flashing and…God, they wouldn't stop. I just…couldn't take it. I saw your father and…and I saw us fighting…and then…then…Oh God! I saw you carrying me in your arms! I was dead!! Your knife had killed me…_you_ killed me!!"

          "W…what?" He stuttered, his jaw going slack as he listened to Ginny, her voice growing less and less tearful and more and more angry.

          "It wasn't a dream, Draco. It was a glimpse of the future. If you and I…stay together…I'm going to die."

          "Ginny…I wouldn't let that happen! I swear!!"

          "I bet you swore you would never let a thing like _us_ happen! Well guess what! Fate has one hell of a sense of irony because here we are…or were. I'm not going to die at your hand, Draco. Not if I can help it."

          His back stiffened and he stood, his eyes narrowing, "What exactly are you saying?"

          She bit her lip, her eyes telling the tale of an ongoing battle between emotions. Finally, those same eyes that he loved went colder then ice, "I'm saying that I want you gone. Go home and forget about me. It won't be hard. I am, after all, just another Weasley."

          He nodded his head, making sure that any emotion was hidden from his face and eyes. He had learned to do that from his father, "Goodbye then."

          He turned around, his back straight, walking up the stairs and quietly opening the door to Weasley's room. He was asleep, Granger sleeping soundly beside him in Draco's sleeping bag. 

          "Accio bag," He whispered, waiting as his knapsack slowly floated over to him. Everything was still packed inside the bag, his gift for Ginny lying on the top of a pile of shirts. He picked it up, gripping the edges of the green wrapping paper and the ends of a curly gold ribbon attached to it. Green and Gold. Slytherin and Gryffindor. What had he been thinking?

          As he walked out of the room, cramming his feet into his shoes on the way out, he decided to leave it for her anyway. One last memory of what she had given up. Walking into the living room, he placed the box under the thick green branches of the Weasley Christmas tree and inhaled the smell of the diminutive home that had welcomed him just because he had been associated with their daughter. He'd miss it.

          Walking to the fireplace in the kitchen, he grabbed a bit of Floo Powder and bit his tongue as he said, "Malfoy Manor." 

The End

                   Just Kidding!! That would be just plain mean :D Its not the end yet. A chapter or two left. I'm not quite sure yet. Anyway, please please please review. Some of my old reviewers stopped and now I'm starting to think that they stopped cuz they don't like it anymore :( So…yeah, review so that I know I'm not writing to absolutely nobody.

          OOO…just a nice, fun little fact: 5 April is my birthday :) Meaning Saturday. Just so you guys know :) Well, I hope you liked this chapter. More soon depending on how lazy I am heehee


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